Sometimes, public services do well, sometimes they don’t. But the Tories are so blinkered they cannot accept that public provision can be the best option. They’ve just pushed through legislation banning local authorities from running bus services.

Why? Nottingham and Reading have run successful services. Local authorities are struggling to find ways to maintain public services. If running a bus service themselves is the most effective option, then surely it should be possible? Isn’t it up to local electors to decide local policies?

It is the same with the railways, except that foreign public ownership is welcomed. The public operator DOR (Directly Operated Railways) made an excellent job of running the East Coast Main Line. And it returned substantial profits to the exchequer. None of the profit went to rich people living in tax havens. But the government insisted on a new franchise, and DOR wasn’t even allowed to bid.

Yet French and German national rail operators run well known UK train operations. What more obvious demonstration could there be that policies are based on pure prejudice?