Thames Water may be troubled but privatisation has served Britain well, argues Michael Howard
The former Conservative leader reckons that private investors have spent more than the state could have done
THE PRIVATISATION programme of the government of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s has in many quarters been acclaimed as one of its great successes. Even the most doctrinaire socialist would pause before advocating the return of British Airways or BT, the former telecoms monopoly, to public ownership. The programme was seen as a British innovation that set the standard for many other countries. It was widely emulated across the developed world.
Explore more
From the July 8th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from By Invitation
Trumpism is becoming more pragmatic, argues Reihan Salam
But not all of the incoming president’s backers buy it
Time is not on Russia’s side, argues Finland’s foreign minister
Elina Valtonen calls for a lower oil-price cap and tougher measures against Russia’s shadow fleet
Oriana Skylar Mastro makes a case for paring America’s nukes
The political scientist explains why beefing up is bad China strategy
A new Iranian approach to regional security and prosperity, by M. Javad Zarif
Iran’s vice-president on how his country can make the region more secure and prosperous
America’s debt cannot keep stacking up, says Jeffrey Gundlach
The “King of Bonds” sees the risk of a debt restructuring with global repercussions
South Korea’s crisis highlights both fragility and resilience, writes Wi Sung-lac
The country is deeply polarised, but its living memory of military rule strengthens its commitment to democracy