Comment

Comment on UK train operator nationalised by government after 30 years of privatisation

To be fair, not even Thatcher dared attempt rail service privatisation. It was her disciple Major who pushed it through and enthusiastically promoted battling business units on rails in Brussels.

source

Sort:hotnew top

khannie@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Ah my bad. I thought most of the privatisation over there was under her. Did she do the water and BT or was that him too?

source
- mjr@infosec.pub ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  BT was Thatcher. Water was started by her, after chickening out at least once, but finished under Major.
  
  source
ohulancutash@feddit.uk ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
The privatisation of British Rail did indeed begin under Thatcher, though she did so with reluctance due to the obvious need for ongoing subsidy. Sealink and the hotels were the first parts to go in 1984 (at much less than book value).

These were swiftly followed by a laundry company set up for the hotels, an internal ad agency, a travel agency, and the Vale of Rheidol railway which was privatised in 1989.

source
- mjr@infosec.pub ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Aye, but as I wrote, she chickened out of the actual passenger services.
  
  source