pfi

Britain hosts conference to ‘drive forward private finance efforts for Gaza’s reconstruction’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-hosts-conference-drive-forward-private-finance-efforts-gazas-reconstruction

 In this drone photo, buildings destroyed during two years of Israeli army bombardments are seen in Gaza City, October 15, 2025

CAMPAIGNERS voiced outrage today after the British government hosted a conference to “drive forward private finance efforts for Gaza’s reconstruction.”

The three-day summit began on Monday at London’s Wilton Park and brought together international investors.

Speaking at the opening, Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said that Gaza has “real economic potential” which must be “unlocked.”

He underlined the need to think “creatively to bring in private capital” and touted Britain as being “well placed to help.”

The minister then posted a photo on X of suits sat around the table declaring it time to “seize this moment” and that the conference would “drive forward private finance efforts for Gaza’s reconstruction.”

Campaigners slammed the meeting as “immoral” given Britain’s complicity in enabling Israel’s war crimes.

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A spokesperson from left group Momentum slammed the conference as an example of “blatant profiteering.”

“It is totally immoral to use Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza, which the government is complicit in, to make money. 

“Reconstruction efforts must be determined by the people of Gaza.”

Mike Cushman, membership secretary of Jewish Voice for Liberation (JVL), said: “Gaza is a humanitarian and environmental disaster, not a profit opportunity for get-rich-quick private finance. 

“PFI has been neither efficient nor effective in Britain, leaving a vast overhang of debt to be picked up by taxpayers for substandard services; only an inhumane government immersed in a colonialist mentality would try to inflict it on Gaza. 

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See the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-hosts-conference-drive-forward-private-finance-efforts-gazas-reconstruction

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingBritain hosts conference to ‘drive forward private finance efforts for Gaza’s reconstruction’

Profits from NHS England eye care outsourcing same as 100 PFI contracts, research finds

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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/04/profits-from-nhs-england-eye-care-outsourcing-same-as-100-pfi-contracts-research-finds

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c66599b10d3bfce3f78393d3c0a00fae7db8de4e/86_139_2881_1710/master/2881.jpg?width=620&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none

CHPI thinktank found five firms made an ‘eye-watering’ £169m in 2023-24, as calls for profit cap grow

Profits made from treating NHS eye patients by five private firms are so large they equal those made by the 100 with private finance initiative (PFI) hospital contracts, research shows.

The disclosure has led to calls for ministers to cap what can be “eye-watering” levels of profit made by private operators when they take over key public services.

Research by the Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI) thinktank found the five main companies providing cataract removals and other eye treatments to the NHS in England made an estimated £169m in profit collectively during 2023-24 – the same profit generated by the 100 PFI deals.

David Rowland of the CHPI, who carried out the research, said: “For years the biggest scandal of wasted money in the NHS has been PFI, with huge amounts of taxpayer money leaking out of the health system and into the profit accounts of private firms.

“But our research shows that the outsourcing of NHS eye care is an even bigger scandal. Just five eye care companies have generated the same profits in one year as the companies running all 100 NHS PFI schemes.”

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Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/04/profits-from-nhs-england-eye-care-outsourcing-same-as-100-pfi-contracts-research-finds

Continue ReadingProfits from NHS England eye care outsourcing same as 100 PFI contracts, research finds

Morning Star Editorial: Public services can’t wear further cuts – Reeves must be stopped

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-public-services-cant-wear-further-cuts-reeves-must-be-stopped

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves arrives to meet students on the carpentry course during a visit to Bury College in Greater Manchester, March 20, 2025

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Fourteen years of Tory rule have cut services to the bone. The notion that “efficiency savings” can slice off further billions without worsening already degraded services is absurd.

Ironically, the cuts are intended to fund increased military spending — though if there is a department renowned for waste it is the Ministry of Defence. The MoD is repeatedly excoriated by the public accounts committee for the huge sums squandered on projects that end up delayed by years or not delivered at all.

Current Defence Secretary John Healey, when in the shadow cabinet, published a report identifying billions it had overspent on projects and billions more paid for cancelled contracts with its often extortionate suppliers. The report noted that the MoD had even been fined £32.6 million by the Treasury for its “poor accounting practices.” Yet it is this department which is having more billions thrown its way.

As for extortionate suppliers, the evidence is plain that besides tying institutions from hospitals to schools into contracts forcing them to repay PFI debts worth multiples of the original loans, many such agreements also tie them into inflexible and costly servicing contracts.

Outsourcing services is massively inefficient, yet remains the norm, despite Reeves’s one-time promise to deliver “the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation.”

As the Prison Officers Association (POA) points out of outsourced prison maintenance, we end up paying through the nose for “crumbling cells, compromised safety and rodent-infested jails.”

“We do not for one minute accept that the privatised model of prison maintenance is more cost effective than insourcing … it is completely delusional to claim it provides best value for the taxpayer,” POA general secretary Steve Gillan observes.

Clearly value for money is not Reeves’s priority — corporate profits are, including at the Treasury’s expense.

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Read the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-public-services-cant-wear-further-cuts-reeves-must-be-stopped

Keir Starmer commits to play the caretaker role for Capitalism through the "hard times".
Keir Starmer commits to play the caretaker role for Capitalism through the “hard times”.
Keir Starmer explains the moral case for cutting disability benefits. He says work will set you free.
Keir Starmer explains the moral case for cutting disability benefits. He says work will set you free.
Continue ReadingMorning Star Editorial: Public services can’t wear further cuts – Reeves must be stopped

Government and NHS boss ‘rewriting history’ on disastrous PFI

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/government-and-nhs-boss-rewriting-history-on-disastrous-pfi

Health Secretary Wes Streeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer (not seen) during a visit to Elective Orthopaedic Centre in Epsom, Surrey, January 6, 2025

BACKING private finance in the NHS should be a red line for any health secretary, campaigners charged today.

NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last week that the government should “consider” using private capital to fix the NHS’s crumbling infrastructure.

Today, Health Secretary Wes Streeting faced questions on the same programme about a potential return to failed private-finance initiative (PFI) schemes, in which private firms built hospitals and high-interest repayments were made over the long term.

Mr Streeting said that he does not pretend there are not “enormous challenges” because of NHS capital shortfall, and is “very sympathetic to the argument that we should try and leverage in private finance.”

But he admitted that many of the PFI deals “did lumber the NHS with an enormous cost that it continues to bear.”

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Johnbosco Nwogbo, of campaign group We Own It, said: “Support for more private finance in our NHS should disqualify you from being health secretary.

“Many NHS trusts are still spending more on PFI debts than on medicines for patients.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/government-and-nhs-boss-rewriting-history-on-disastrous-pfi

Continue ReadingGovernment and NHS boss ‘rewriting history’ on disastrous PFI

Campaigners blast NHS England boss after she suggests return to failed PFI deals

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-blast-nhs-england-boss-after-she-suggests-return-to-failed-pfi-deals

NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard

CAMPAIGNERS criticised the head of NHS England today after she backed the return of discredited private finance initiative contracts.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard floated the controversial idea as part of what she called a “radical” rethink in how Britain funds its infrastructure.

Recent data shows that the cost to repair Britain’s crumbling NHS buildings has spiralled to £13.8 billion, the highest on record.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday, Ms Pritchard said: “We need to think much more radically, particularly about capital.

“So I think we now must consider private capital investment in the NHS because if we don’t fix our buildings, if we don’t fix our technology, we’re not going to get to a place where we can really drive that long-term improvement.”

The suggestion was slammed by anti-privatisation group We Own It.

Research by the group found that the current maintenance backlog bill is dwarfed by a £44bn debt that 80 trusts still owe to private firms for historic PFI contracts signed off by Tony Blair’s government.

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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-blast-nhs-england-boss-after-she-suggests-return-to-failed-pfi-deals

Keir Starmer confirms that he's proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Keir Starmer confirms that he’s proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Continue ReadingCampaigners blast NHS England boss after she suggests return to failed PFI deals