Thames Water nearing the cliff edge.

[Mottie]

I dunno, one minute people on here are complaining that the utilities are being taken over by foreign investors, next they are complaining they don’t want to invest. Let it go back into public ownership, I don’t care - it might be the start of things - Labour won’t fùck it up, will they?

I don’t get my water from them anyway, they just take my shìt away and plop it in the Thames. They did do a splendid job of replacing my drains last year though (after a bit of nagging) so not all bad.

 

[ellal]

Let it go back into public ownership

Utilities should have always remained in public hands along with all services that a country relies on

 

[Mottie]

.

 

[transam]

Are the French investors in UK water companies ?

Seems like the Chinese are ?

Suspect secret Russian involvement in the caper as well

 

[Mottie]

Utilities should have always remained in public hands along with all services that a country relies on

Did you refuse your free shares when BT went private?

 

[JohnD]

"Thames Water bills likely to rise as UK ministers try to save company
Utility wants to raise bills by 56% by 2030 in effort to stop investors walking away"

FT.com

The owners have already given up.

The government is willing to do anything to delay taking this failed public service into public ownership.

They hope to prolong the agony until after the election.

 

[ellal]

Did you refuse your free shares when BT went private?

Did you rejoice when in order to sell off BT Thatcher vetoed the roll out of a British cable network that would have made the UK a world leader in high speed communications because the cost would make BT more unattractive for shareholders?

Did you rejoice when Thatcher decided that the American companies should do that job instead?

 

[Mottie]

Did you rejoice when in order to sell off BT Thatcher vetoed the roll out of a British cable network that would have made the UK a world leader in high speed communications because the cost would make BT more unattractive for shareholders?

Did you rejoice when Thatcher decided that the American companies should do that job instead?

So, you won’t answer my question but you expect me to answer two of yours? Another yawning swerve from the Queen of swerves.

 

[ellal]

So, you won’t answer my question but you expect me to answer two of yours? Another yawning swerve from the Queen of swerves.

Wouldn't have been interested back then...

Did you also have a penchant for Sid?

Over to you, the kink of BS...

 

[Mottie]

Wouldn't have been interested back then...

Did you also have a penchant for Sid?

Over to you, the kink of BS...

I think you’ve answered my question. Yes, you grabbed those free shares with your gasping little selective socialist mitts.

 

[ellal]

I think you’ve answered my question. Yes, you grabbed those free shares with your gasping little selective socialist mitts.

Oh dear...

The troll doesn't understand 'wouldn't have been interested back then'...

So let's go back to basics - no I didn't....

So how about you answer my questions?

This should be a good laugh!

 

[JohnD]

Are the French investors in UK water companies ?

Seems like the Chinese are ?

Suspect secret Russian involvement in the caper as well

You are making reference to the fact that a public service essential to the nation is not owned or run by anyone with the interests of the public at heart.

Instead, it is owned and looted by organisations dedicated to extracting the maximum money out of it, and providing the lowest standards they can get away with.

 

[Mottie]

doesn't understand 'wouldn't have been interested back then'...

So let's go back to basics - no I didn't....

So you turned down free shares. Yer, right!

 

[ajohn]

Taking back the utilities involves taking on their debt and the companies also have value. I assume shares. I don't see much chance of us having a revolution and simply grabbing the lot back.

They should attract investors that want a safe long term return and as such not too spectacular a return. The only way to look at that is to relate it to value and return over a period of time. I don't think we have a UK water grid so things are not the same as electricity. Competition?? I did hear a news item about one of the companies installing pipes to ship water around but might just be within one authority.

I've no idea how pricing works but have seen news comments that the gov regulates price increases. That isn't how private industry should work. They need to pay dividends and the ability to pay off the loans needed to carry out work over some period or the other. The same would apply if state owned.

Sounds like another f ing headache to me when ever one comes to grief. If the gov does hold increases off to below what they need to be things would just get worse.

The company value - well shares get traded. If a company goes bankrupt they should be near worthless. Maybe they are over valued. No help if they are really.

 

[JohnD]

Taking back the utilities involves taking on their debt and the companies also have value. I assume shares. I don't see much chance of us having a revolution and simply grabbing the lot back.

They should attract investors that want a safe long term return and as such not too spectacular a return. The only way to look at that is to relate it to value and return over a period of time. I don't think we have a UK water grid so things are not the same as electricity. Competition?? I did hear a news item about one of the companies installing pipes to ship water around but might just be within one authority.

I've no idea how pricing works but have seen news comments that the gov regulates price increases. That isn't how private industry should work. They need to pay dividends and the ability to pay off the loans needed to carry out work over some period or the other. The same would apply if state owned.

Sounds like another f ing headache to me when ever one comes to grief. If the gov does hold increases off to below what they need to be things would just get worse.

The company value - well shares get traded. If a company goes bankrupt they should be near worthless. Maybe they are over valued. No help if they are really.

If the company were to go bust, I suppose administrators would sell off the assets for what they could get.

If the company was sold as a going concern somebody could bid for it.

Currently we are looking at the "going bust" option. The owners seem to have given up refinancing it. Are there many buyers for a run-down company crippled by unmanageable debts?

BHS was looted by Philip Green, and sold for a pound.