TEHRAN, September 22 - The second in command of the British Labour Party has said that the party is determined to re-nationalize public services in the country once it forms a government.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the Guardian newspaper on Saturday that Labour would form a special unit in the government to directly oversee how fundamental public utilities like water, rail and Royal Mail will be brought back into public ownership.
McDonnell also said that the railway industry, which has become subject of severe public discontent because of privatization of some core services, could be re-nationalized within five years under a Labour government.
He also told the BBC that all franchises in the rail system and elsewhere could be back under public control during a single term in office.
The remarks came just a head of a Labour meeting in Liverpool where party members gather for an annual conference.
Brexit and Labour manifesto will be high on the agenda in the conference as leaders of the party seek a more united stance on the issues. A main topic for discussion is whether the party should push for a second Brexit referendum as the government led by the Conservative Party of prime Minister Theresa May could fail to reach an agreement with the European Union before Britain leaves the bloc in March.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to endorse the idea of a second referendum. McDonnell reiterated Saturday that if there should be a popular vote on Brexit, Labour would prefer snap elections over a repeated referendum on Brexit.
“We would be in the same situation there, where we would be saying: we’re accepting that original vote; this is the sort of deal that we want,” said McDonnell, adding that there would be real risk for the rise of far-right in Britain if the country holds a second referendum on Brexit.
Source: Press TV