IF I had any doubts about where to place my cross on May 5 in the absence of a Respect candidate, they were removed by the main candidates' comments on the Rail Maritime Transport's campaign for the railways to be renationalised (April 21).
Labour
Hugh Bayley says his party will intervene when private companies give passengers bad service.
It is a shame he didn't offer the same deal to the Arriva train guards who were so badly treated by a private company. They spent a year taking industrial action in defence of their wages and conditions and to protect passengers' safety.
On that occasion Mr Bayley and New Labour showed themselves to be firmly on the side of private profit and against a public, accountable railway.
Conservatives
Candidate Clive Booth claims the train companies are trying to improve services, but most of the population believes thet have got worse since privatisation.
Mr Booth must know more public money is being paid to the private companies than was ever invested in British Rail. The Tories have no problem with massive public spending when it's aimed at lining the pockets of the rich.
Liberal Democrats
Hopeful Andrew Waller would spend £325 million improving the rail infrastructure.
It sounds good but it is a pittance compared with the subsidies now being paid to the private companies.
The Green Party
Andy D'Agorne was the only York candidate who made the effort to attend the RMT event. He also made an unequivocal commitment to "return both train operating companies and track to public ownership". That, alongside the fact the Green Party was the only one of the four to take a principled stand against the war against Iraq is enough to ensure my vote.
Frank Ormston,
Waverley Street, York.
Updated: 10:38 Thursday, April 28, 2005
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