“Talking Tosh”, as Billy Hayes (moving the Communication Workers Union motion against privatising Royal Mail) said immediately after this outstanding speech, has acquired an entirely new meaning.
Tosh McDonald, Vice-President of train drivers’ union ASLEF, received a much deserved standing ovation for an off-the-cuff contribution, seconding a motion in support of the public ownership of the railways from the Transport and Salaried Staffs Association.
The motion called on a future Labour government to retain and extend the “successful model of public ownership” demonstrated by East Coast Rail “to each franchise as it expires and by integrating track and train operations. The billions that this will save must be used to invest in our rail network and to cut fares for hard pressed passengers.”
Wales are looking at bringing back railways, into the public realm, sadly I suspect Miliband would be asking how can you afford that, and the coalition would be having fits.
http://www.party.coop/files/2012/11/Welsh-Rail-pamphlet-online.pdf.pdf.pdf.pdf