Monday 28 January 2008

Privatisation - is it a wind-up?

"You couldn't make it up" is a reasonable reaction to learning that Carphone Warehouse were behind one of the proposed "Academies" in Preston. The news coverage this week suggesting government support for McDonalds being approved to issue qualifications took this to a new level.

Does the government really want to reduce "education" to "training"? Are tax-payers expected to fund job-specific training because so many employers are too scared of having staff poached by competitors to train their staff properly?

Now Virgin, responsible for that bane of my life the West Coast Main Line, want to help privatise more of the NHS. Does Richard Branson know no shame? A man who launched a brand of condoms shortly after his balloon burst over the Atlantic, and who aims to milk the taxpayer of billions thanks to Gordon Brown's refusal to nationalise Northern Rock, now hopes to extend corporate power over more of our NHS. Presumably their healthcare centres won't be offering help with contraception, STDs or abortion? I hope there are protests at the various events they plans across the UK.

Satire is dead.



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