PROFIT AND THE RUSH TO PRIVATISATION

      Nostalgic calls  for another 1948  

moment

The year 1948 saw the start of the NHS and campaigners seeking reform and proper funding for the  country`s closely-linked  social services are now looking back nostalgically to that year for inspiration.

There are now many calls for another “1948 moment”.

Other campaigners  are calling for another “1948 moment” for  quite another reason.

They recall that  the year 1948 was one when the great  post-war drive to build  social housing was really getting into its stride and the country was soon going to be proud to be building 300,000  council houses a year.

Sadly, today, that pride has vanished as the country struggles with a housing crisis. A great many of those post-war council houses  have been sold off and our politicians  have not enough faith in local authority enterprise to build more houses to to replace them.

Privatisation and the profit motive nowadays reign supreme in deciding housing policy just as they reign supreme in deciding  the policy for social services.

But the battle for more social housing is not yet lost just as the battle for social housing reform is gathering momentum.

The Times newspaper like other media  frequently has debates about these…housing`s “1948  moment”  and social services` “ 1948 moment”.

One Times reader , Philip Chadwick of Southsea Hampshire  in a recent letter to editor  explains why the “1948 moment” is so important.

 He writes: "One way to reduce the cost of social care is to remove the profit motive.

“Not so long ago, councils provided and ran care homes. The rush to privatisation triggered the escalation in costs. If councils again ran care homes, residents would pay only for their care and not for directors’ salaries and company dividends.

 “Staff could expect better than zero-hours contracts and the minimum wage, thus boosting standards and recruitment. Some services should be provided by the state: care of the elderly is one of them.”

Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52227