Public say on public services

OLDHAM MP Michael Meacher has thrown his weight behind a campaign to show public services are better in public hands.

Campaign group We Own It wants residents to have their say before services are considered for privatisation or out-sourced work.

The Oldham West and Royton MP is among a group of MPs in Westminster demanding action.

He said: “Public services have been privatised and outsourced without giving a voice to the public service users affected. The public needs real powers to object to sell-offs, access information and hold private providers to account.”

The MPs want a Public Service Users Bill to be introduced to make public ownership the default option, but their Bill is unlikely to gain ground without government support