In the aftermath of World War II, Britain built something extraordinary.
Public services were not just about utility — they were about dignity.
Transport, energy, water, housing, and healthcare were seen as rights, not commodities.
The postwar Labour government brought key industries into public ownership to ensure they served the people — not shareholders.
80 years later, many of those services have been sold off, hollowed out, and handed over to profit-hungry corporations.
And the justifications we were given for this wave of privatisation?
They’ve been thoroughly debunked.
We’re more than halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £36 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
The false promises of privatisation
1. “It will make services more efficient”
This was the central claim. But real-world results tell a different story.
Take water, for example. In England, water was privatised in 1989. Since then, companies have racked up billions in debt, paid out £72 billion in dividends, and allowed sewage to pour into rivers and seas — all while raising bills for customers.
In contrast, Scotland’s publicly owned Scottish Water remains better-performing, cheaper, and free of shareholders.
2. “It will save taxpayers money”
Public-private partnerships and private finance initiatives (PFIs) were sold as clever ways to deliver infrastructure without upfront cost. But over time, they became a black hole of spending.
Hospitals built under PFI have cost more than five times their original value. The collapse of outsourcing giants like Carillion left the state to clean up the mess.
Meanwhile, taxpayers are still subsidising the privatised rail network — to the tune of billions — despite years of poor service and high fares.
3. “It will give people more choice”
But choice, in many areas, is an illusion. You can’t choose your water provider. Energy markets are dominated by a few firms, often indistinguishable in pricing or service.
And where choice does exist — like in education or healthcare — it’s a race for the privileged few, not a benefit for all. When services are sold off, the profit motive doesn’t empower users; it stratifies them.
4. “It will increase accountability”
Privatised services are less transparent. Shareholder interests trump public scrutiny.
When something goes wrong, it’s rarely clear who’s responsible — and when it is, little is done. There are no democratic levers to pull when your train is late, your energy bill is unaffordable, or your local GP service is being quietly outsourced.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
The result: decline, debt, and division
Privatisation hasn’t just failed to deliver — it has actively damaged the fabric of the country.
The basic essentials of life are no longer guaranteed; they’re auctioned to the highest bidder.
This wasn’t inevitable. It was a political project.
Utilities, transport, housing, even healthcare — they were all once considered part of the social contract.
That contract has been broken. And those who profit from its breach have names, balance sheets, and bonuses.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
Where do we go from here?
It’s not too late to reclaim the idea that public services should serve the public.
Across the world, countries are re-municipalising water, energy, and transport.
In the UK, campaigns to bring services like rail and energy back into public hands are gaining traction.
But it will take political courage — and public pressure.
We must ask not just “What happened?” but “Who let it happen, and why?”
What you can do
Were you around when services were nationalised — or when they were sold off?
Do you remember how it felt to see things move from public to private hands?
Have you worked in privatised services and seen the changes first-hand?
We want to hear your stories.
Share your memories, thoughts, and experiences in the comments — or send them to us directly.
This series is about looking back, but also about looking forward.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
From public good to private gain — how profiteers took over the UK (80 years since VE Day)
In the aftermath of World War II, Britain built something extraordinary.
Public services were not just about utility — they were about dignity.
Transport, energy, water, housing, and healthcare were seen as rights, not commodities.
The postwar Labour government brought key industries into public ownership to ensure they served the people — not shareholders.
80 years later, many of those services have been sold off, hollowed out, and handed over to profit-hungry corporations.
And the justifications we were given for this wave of privatisation?
They’ve been thoroughly debunked.
We’re more than halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £36 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
The false promises of privatisation
1. “It will make services more efficient”
This was the central claim. But real-world results tell a different story.
Take water, for example. In England, water was privatised in 1989. Since then, companies have racked up billions in debt, paid out £72 billion in dividends, and allowed sewage to pour into rivers and seas — all while raising bills for customers.
In contrast, Scotland’s publicly owned Scottish Water remains better-performing, cheaper, and free of shareholders.
2. “It will save taxpayers money”
Public-private partnerships and private finance initiatives (PFIs) were sold as clever ways to deliver infrastructure without upfront cost. But over time, they became a black hole of spending.
Hospitals built under PFI have cost more than five times their original value. The collapse of outsourcing giants like Carillion left the state to clean up the mess.
Meanwhile, taxpayers are still subsidising the privatised rail network — to the tune of billions — despite years of poor service and high fares.
3. “It will give people more choice”
But choice, in many areas, is an illusion. You can’t choose your water provider. Energy markets are dominated by a few firms, often indistinguishable in pricing or service.
And where choice does exist — like in education or healthcare — it’s a race for the privileged few, not a benefit for all. When services are sold off, the profit motive doesn’t empower users; it stratifies them.
4. “It will increase accountability”
Privatised services are less transparent. Shareholder interests trump public scrutiny.
When something goes wrong, it’s rarely clear who’s responsible — and when it is, little is done. There are no democratic levers to pull when your train is late, your energy bill is unaffordable, or your local GP service is being quietly outsourced.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
The result: decline, debt, and division
Privatisation hasn’t just failed to deliver — it has actively damaged the fabric of the country.
The basic essentials of life are no longer guaranteed; they’re auctioned to the highest bidder.
This wasn’t inevitable. It was a political project.
Utilities, transport, housing, even healthcare — they were all once considered part of the social contract.
That contract has been broken. And those who profit from its breach have names, balance sheets, and bonuses.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
Where do we go from here?
It’s not too late to reclaim the idea that public services should serve the public.
Across the world, countries are re-municipalising water, energy, and transport.
In the UK, campaigns to bring services like rail and energy back into public hands are gaining traction.
But it will take political courage — and public pressure.
We must ask not just “What happened?” but “Who let it happen, and why?”
What you can do
Were you around when services were nationalised — or when they were sold off?
Do you remember how it felt to see things move from public to private hands?
Have you worked in privatised services and seen the changes first-hand?
We want to hear your stories.
Share your memories, thoughts, and experiences in the comments — or send them to us directly.
This series is about looking back, but also about looking forward.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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