UK voters ‘favour socialism over capitalism’

Polls shows support for public ownership of
utilities, as Corbyn and May go into battle over the economy

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According to the figures, 83% of British voters would prefer
public ownership of water companies over privatisation, while 77%
want to re-nationalise electricity and gas companies and 76% want
the railways back under state control.

The news comes after a week of back-and-forth between Theresa
May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn regarding economic policy. On
Tuesday, the Labour leader attacked Britain’s “failed
model of capitalism” and presented the Labour party as a government
in waiting. Yesterday May hit back, hailing capitalism as the
“greatest agent of collective human progress ever
created”.

Although Corbyn remains personally unpopular, opinion appears to
be siding with his policies. “The ground is shifting”, says The
Daily Telegraph, while the New Statesman declares: “After decades in which
the market has held sway, voters are ready to summon Leviathan from
the depths.”

Partly, says City AM, that’s because socialism is no longer
feared in the way it once was. “Many have disassociated the
tragic and disastrous consequences of communist states from the
socialist ideology which underpinned them,” it says. “Theresa May
has finally spoken up for capitalism, wealth creation, enterprise
and competition. But given the state of public opinion, it may too
little – too late.”