Jennette Arnold’s distortions on rail privatisation

I am appalled at the latest News from Jennette Arnold AM London Assembly Member which carries an article entitled “Bob Crow has his say”. The article amounts to an attack on Bob Crow individually and the rail union RMT in particular for as she puts it, suggesting “the East London Line project is a "privatisation" akin to that carried out by the last Conservative government.” Ms Arnold twisting the truth in a manner of the most shameless spin doctor attempts to convince readers that the handing of the East London Line Extension over to a private Train Operating Company is not actually privatisation, that the “franchise will be under the control of TfL” and this is all some nasty propaganda by Bob Crow.

Fortunately many of us in the Labour and Trade Union movement are not so blind that we cannot see through such hyperbole. Ms Arnold fails to inform her readers that all rail unions are opposed to the privatistion of the East London line, not only RMT but the moderate TSSA and ASLEF! Indeed the Trade Union Congress last month called on the “London Mayor to retain the London Underground East London Line in the public sector and to not allow this service to be privatised as is currently being proposed.“

Ms Arnold further fails to mention the opposition to this privatisation within the Labour Party itself. Indeed an Early Day Motion which “calls for East London line passenger services to remain in the public sector”, is signed by none other than local MP Diane Abbott!

Ms Arnold reassures us that the “operators will be paid for running the service and, as such, will not have the opportunity to lever excessive profits through increasing fares.” Yes we’ve heard that one before and sugar coated rhetoric does not go far in convincing the public when it comes to private capital running the railways. Not only has spin like that of Ms Arnold failed to convince the entire trade union movement and members of the Labour Party but according to a MORI poll nearly three-quarters of people in London and the southeast want the East London Line’s operations kept in the public sector.

Ms Arnold's claim this plan will not amount to privatisation is even more perverse when one considers that all existing, public-sector operational, London Underground jobs on the current East London Line i.e. drivers, service control and station staff will be transferred to the new private operator. They are to be given no choice in the matter but will be unilaterally privatised.

Despite all the scaremongering about Bob Crow and the RMT the reality is that the case to remove East London Line operations from London Underground, which is publicly owned, and give them to a private franchise has convinced very few people. The warped arguments by Ms Arnold of the benefits of privatisation are an insult to our intelligence. A private Train Operating Company will put profits first, will compromise safety, service standards and workers rights. The long experience of rail privatisation is one of disasters, dirty overcrowded trains and soaring prices. Since privatisation around £10bn of public subsidy has been given to the train operating companies, many passengers and rail workers have paid with their lives.

Official Labour Party policy is to bring the railways under public control. It is clear Ms Arnold or the Mayor do not represent Party policy. It is to ensure Labour Party members in public office reflect the policy of our party that I shall be supporting the one candidate for leader who does stand for the implementation of Party policy, that is John McDonnell MP. He is speaking at the Hackney Empire on Wednesday evening with other trades unionists. I will be there perhaps Ms Arnold can come along and convince us the earth is flat after all.

Chris Ford
Newick Rd, Member of Labour Party Leabridge Branch