Is It Time To Nationalise Our Steel Production?

[geared]

British steel has collapsed far too many times for it to be worth saving, speciality sites have a future, but places like Port Talbot probably do not.

[Jack Grey]

If we didnt produce steel then countries like China could charge us whatever they wanted

 

We are seeing exactly that with gas and Russia

 

We have to become self sufficient.....we have the infrastructure and the skills so there's no reason we cant do it 

[Thorpist]

40 minutes ago, West 77 said:

I support that.  The issue of  national security is the main reason the remaining big plants as well as some specialised smaller plants / factories should be nationalised. 

I cannot think of a more important industry than water one yet it is the hands of private industry

[El Cid]

1 hour ago, Jack Grey said:

 

We have to become self sufficient.....we have the infrastructure and the skills so there's no reason we cant do it 

I can understand that argument, but we would have to import the iron ore from China or Brazil etc. why not just import the finished steel.

Edited October 2, 2022 by El Cid

[bassett one]

we need to own british steel and the railways and the water board ect, plus  the electric company kier will announce once these idiots that are making a mess of the country are running.

[trastrick]

2 hours ago, Jack Grey said:

Yeah the hard left unions will run the industry into the ground for political points scoring

 

Now we have left the EU we can charge whatever tariffs we like so can be more competitive 

 

However, our energy costs and green taxes make our steal expensive compared to China which is state sponsored 

Nationalisation of major industries has been tried before, how many times?

 

Road transport, railways, steel, transportation.

 

Big problem is that successive governments have privatised it again, and again.

 

Which captains of industry, will invest in an industry which has so much volatility?

 

Mostly they just run it into the ground, and sell off assets to make a quick buck, before the next labor government gets back in and steals it back from them.

 

Blame democracy, and the voting public.

 

Nationalisation needs communism to work best.

 

Human nature!

 

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by trastrick

[RollingJ]

2 minutes ago, bassett one said:

we need to own british steel and the railways and the water board ect, plus  the electric company kier will announce once these idiots that are making a mess of the country are running.

IMHO, 'nationalising ' is OK - so long as they keep politics out of it - i.e. allow the right people to manage it instead of decisions being political.

 

3 minutes ago, trastrick said:

Nationalisation of major industries has been tried before, how many times?

 

Road transport, railways, steel, transportation.

 

Big problem is that successive governments have privatised it again, and again.

 

Which captains of industry, will invest in an industry which has so much volatility?

 

Mostly they just run in the ground, and sell off assets to make a quick buck, before the next labor government gets back in and steals it back from them.

 

Blame democracy, and the voting public.

 

Nationalisation needs communism to work best.

 

Human nature!

 

 

Lets just hope we never go down that failed road.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, trastrick said:

Nationalisation of major industries has been tried before, how many times?

 

Road transport, railways, steel, transportation.

 

Big problem is that successive governments have privatised it again, and again.

 

Which captains of industry, will invest in an industry which has so much volatility?

 

Mostly they just run in the ground, and sell off assets to make a quick buck, before the next labor government gets back in and steals it back from them.

 

Human nature!

 

 

Which goes to show that our political model is wrong.

I have spent years watching our governments chopping and changing, and selling, our important assets

Each government comes in with a new way of thinking and starts wasting money changing everything again.

All political parties should sit together and agree which industries are too important to national security and to the smooth running of the country.

These should be gas, electricity, water, steel and railways and it could be open to discussion whether there could be more.

A joint National Industry committee formed from all political parties should be responsible for the overseeing of these industries with Britain's current needs always at the forefront.

No incoming government would be allowed to upset these plans without the full agreement of the National Industry committee.

Not easy to set up and run but, we have spent too long feathering the nest for Russia, & China, and leaving ourselves at the mercy of them and other world happenings.

It's time to put ourselves first, no matter what the cost and, whatever costs do come, they should be borne mainly by those with the broadest shoulders.

Government spending on THEMSELVES, and the monarchy should also be looked at because Westminster  warriors syphon money effortlessly with little accountancy. 

[Dromedary]

In answer to the main post then no we should not nationalise it.

[El Cid]

29 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

 

Lets just hope we never go down that failed road.

They call them non-profit making organisations, like Network Rail.

It's just about setting up the correct structure and funding. The issue with the railways is that they have no competition, the same with water. The water companies do not compete with each other, but the energy companies do.

Nationalise the energy companies and you will still have high prices, because the oil price is set internationally, by trade.