Privatization of public service has a poor track record

Re Value of keeping public services in public hands, Elliott, May 4

I am no fan of privatization, and agree with Matt Elliott that there is value in keeping public services in public hands.

Having worked for a public sector for all my working years, I can assert that most people who work in government are not “anti-government.” The last thing management and staff want to do is privatize. For one thing, privatization almost always means losing their jobs.

In addition, as Elliott wrote, people believe government is inherently wasteful and the private sector can do things more efficiently.

Elliott wrote that this “proved really, really wrong” with long-term care during this pandemic. The stats he quotes sadly back up the assertion.

I hope our masters have learned their lesson (albeit at our expense).