With everyone in the Labour and trade union movement seemingly focused on the rise of Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour Party leadership elections a more important story seems to have passed by virtually without comment.
Buried on page six of today's Times newspaper Francis Elliot reports:
George Osborne wants ministers to let private companies deliver public services as he cuts as he cuts a further £20 Billion from the state's spending bill.
At the same time we are reminded that Michael Gove has "heralded" sweeping reforms in the prison service. Including sell-offs.
Even the Ministry of Defence is being forced to pay the "market rate" for it's use of the radio spectrum for defence.
Nothing is sacred, Not even the defence of the realm.
What next private armed forces?
With the exception of telephony and communication where technology and the industry actually does allow for competition the rest of the already privatised industries are a joke. Electricity and gas prices are kept artificially high by the companies that run them. As for water? Next time there's a drought remember some of these firms have sold off reservoirs so the land can be used for other purposes that giving the country water.
Don't even mention the railways.
Did you know the private rail companies receive more money from the state than British Rail ever did?
Money that goes straight into the hands of shareholder s whilst the rest of us continue to pay exorbitant fares to travel to work.
Farcical.
The threat to have government departments run by private companies (on which no doubt many Tory notables are on the boards of directors) will actually mean the public subsidising a poorer service run for profit rather than public need.
It also explains the rush to "reform" the trade union as as the public sector is also the last bastion of the unions in this country.
It will take longer than one parliament for the damage to occur and preparations must be made to reverse these policies when Labour next gains power. However with the likes of Jeremy Corbyn running the show there will be no chance of that.
Democracy works best when the focus is on the middle ground. The rise of the Labour left is a godsend for the Tories.
Labour and the trade union movement must be working hard for victory at the next election and that means having a broader base for it's policies than the left will allow for.
If we are to survive the coming Tory onslaught then the drive must be towards the political centre with realistic policies that are economically sound and not just ideologically motivated.
We cannot afford another Tory Government.
Jeremy Corbyn will be their best asset.
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