“Rebuilding public provision is not the alternative to fiscal prudence. It is fiscal prudence.”   @mayorofgm.bsky.social quotes our new briefing “The Privatisation Premium” at Wednesday's @centreforcities.bsky.social keynote speech on “Manchesterism”. 👇   📹 Credit: @centreforcities.bsky.social

“The 2022 energy crisis presented a fork in the road for Europe – double down on volatile fossil fuel markets, or pivot to homegrown clean energy and greater security.” Now, European leaders are supporting a war that may cause the next energy shock. 👇 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

“The UK’s failure to [pivot to homegrown clean energy] has left people on ordinary incomes paying the price.” Europe's strategy worsened the last energy shock. Now, European leaders support a war that may cause the next one. Our briefing in @theguardian.com 👇 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Andy Burnham’s “Manchesterism” rightly argues that the loss of public control of essential services worsens the cost of living crisis. This is the “Privatisation Premium”. Our new briefing explains this premium & how to fix it. 🧵 www.common-wealth.org/publications...

Europe’s dependence on US gas is a critical weakness — existing because Europe failed to invest in energy independence during the energy crisis. While Europe was funnelling money to US fossil fuel firms, China spent €1.1 trillion more on the energy transition.

As Europe phased out gas from Russia, much of it was replaced by US Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) — which is more expensive, has greater price swings and is worse for the climate. LNG prices in Europe spiked by over 50% after the US attack on Iran.

The US–Israeli attack on Iran will deepen the cost of living crisis. The last energy shock cost Europe $1.8tn. Europe’s leaders have backed the illegal war that may cause the next shock. The transatlantic alliance is Europe’s trillion dollar bill. 🧵 transitionsecurity.org/trillion-dol...

The 'privatisation premium' is taking money from your pocket and giving it to profiteering corporations. This excellent briefing from COLA member @cmmonwealth.bsky.social shows how public control of essentials is vital to combatting the cost of living crisis.

Andy Burnham’s “Manchesterism” rightly argues that the loss of public control of essential services worsens the cost of living crisis. This is the “Privatisation Premium”. Our new briefing explains this premium & how to fix it. 🧵 www.common-wealth.org/publications...

“In a recent study, [it was] found that Thames Water made at least 8,499 illegal discharges from its sewage treatment works between 2021 and 2025, representing 22 per cent of all spills.” This is what happens when our essentials are privately owned. www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/market...

“These politicians do not lose children in the fighting or bear the brunt of soaring energy prices. In the brutal project of US power politics, it is working class people everywhere who bear the costs.” 🖋️ Khem Rogaly for @lbc.co.uk 👇 www.lbc.co.uk/article/keir...

“I think capitalism makes us unfree in general, and with respect to nature, compels us to treat nature as a free gift.” Our latest Centre for Democratising Work interview with Amelia Horgan and @alybatt.bsky.social on capitalism, freedom and morality. 👇 www.common-wealth.org/centre-for-d...

“Rachel Reeves must reform the Office for Budget Responsibility to open the way to more public investment ... our current framework is contributing to instability, short-termist underinvestment and a lack of focus on long-term risks and opportunities.” www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Is a democratic economy possible? What could it look like and how might we achieve it? Come to LSE on March 30th to discuss these questions and more with @isabelleferreras.bsky.social, @mathewlawrence.bsky.social and me. www.lse.ac.uk/events/democ...

The illegal attack on Iran has triggered an energy crisis. To protect households and stabilise prices as far as possible, the Government should remove gas plants from the open wholesale market and transition them into a “strategic reserve” governed by a Regulated Asset Base.

Britain’s homes aren’t fit for purpose. Damp, cold, expensive to heat — yet heating houses still accounts for 18% of our emissions. Our new briefing — A Plan for Places — presents a new blueprint to fix our homes, cut bills and reduce emissions. 🧵👇 www.common-wealth.org/publications...

“The cost of life’s essentials — housing, food, education, health, elderly & childcare — is simply untenable ... the path out of Trumpism is that of attacking the long-term sources and structure of America’s economic insecurity.” 🖊️ @brusselermel.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk www.lbc.co.uk/article/demo...

Today, we launch a new series outlining a low carbon social contract — one that guarantees a green transition that delivers economic security & affordability — Lower costs — Universal energy security — Better services — Renewed local economies — Public ownership & control 🧵

“Companies like BAE Systems ... rely on public money although they are privately owned, with institutional investors benefitting from surging government spending and direct subsidies for research and development.” Khem Rogaly in @irishexaminer.bsky.social 👇 🖋️ @colinivan.bsky.social

“When we think about the affordability crisis ... what most Americans are really talking about is the cost of essential services like healthcare, education.” Our US Programme Director @brusselermel.bsky.social speaks to @aljazeera.com on Trump's latest tariffs.👇

“[Palantir and Anduril] have grown with the support of US-based venture capital and private equity investors that also stand to benefit from the military industrial turn.” Khem Rogaly in @irishexaminer.bsky.social 👇 🖋️ @colinivan.bsky.social

NEW: Gareth Fearn lays out the stakes of "electro-capitalism". "The economic basis of this transition is not simply between technologies of energy production. Rather, it is between two different fractions of capital." www.break-down.org/electro-capi...

When you pay your water bill, you’re paying into a terrible deal that you can’t get out of.   Your bills fund debt payments for failing water companies.   Why does this happen? 👇

“A crisis looks unlikely, unless caused by a new shock. [But] a long gradual slowdown, a sunset on the supply side ... might even be the base case for 2026.” Read the first edition of our monthly newsletter on the supply side of the US economy. 👇 forcesofproduction.com

“This additional £130bn per year [of military spending] ... has not been set by Britain's security needs ... it was set by the US and will mean we have fewer resources for other key priorities ... mak[ing] our country weaker over the long run.”   Khem Rogaly on LBC News. 👇

“Putting power in the hands of ordinary communities can bring down bills & build durable support for the energy transition ... the local power plan is exciting: a coherent strategy to decentralise & democratise energy production” — @mathewlawrence.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

“Industrial policy is something you need to achieve progressive outcomes, rather than something that generates progressive outcomes simply by being enacted.” Listen to our Principal US Economist Alex Williams on the History Onion podcast 👇 historyonion.substack.com/p/a-progress...

“A crisis looks unlikely, unless caused by a new shock. [But] a long gradual slowdown, a sunset on the supply side ... might even be the base case for 2026.” Read the first edition of our monthly newsletter on the supply side of the US economy. 👇 forcesofproduction.com

“When it comes to the asset managers, there hasn't been major divestment from Israel. Israeli companies really need that capital, and they’re advertising genocide to the West as an opportunity for profit.” Khem Rogaly speaks to @vashtimedia.bsky.social 👇 www.vashtimedia.com/israel-priva...

Great overview by @cibled.bsky.social for @cmmonwealth.bsky.social here who is also writing an excellent chapter on the convergence of “space libertarians” and venture capital for a volume we are working on. www.common-wealth.org/publications...

“Venture capital and private equity represent another group of investors in today's global military industry that’s very powerful in the defence tech sector ... you often don’t know where the money is coming from.” Khem Rogaly speaks to @vashtimedia.bsky.social 👇 www.vashtimedia.com/israel-priva...

“The Global South is where the majority of these critical minerals are located, but these countries have not been included in this conference.” @stefanzylinski.bsky.social speaks to @aljazeera.com on the US-hosted conference developing a Global North coalition on critical mineral security.

“Common Wealth has termed this the ‘privatisation premium’. Their ‘Who Owns Britain?’ project shows the UK public has paid £200bn to shareholders of key industries since privatisation.” Our work featured in @neweconomybrief.bsky.social 👇 www.neweconomybrief.net/the-digest/e...

Let’s talk about water bills. With England & Wales’ privatised water system, you’re left paying more for less.    Customer complaints over water bills in England & Wales have risen by 50% over the last year alone.  Find out more at common-wealth.org 💧

The majority of Britain’s major rail operators are now owned by the public! 🎉 Success could help bring other essential services under democratic control. Failure will embolden privatisation advocates across every sector. Labour must get this right. www.theguardian.com/business/ng-...

“As the UK seeks to expand housing supply, we need ... viable and properly resourced communities ... taking back control of our water to invest in the infrastructure should be a critical part of this mission.” @mathewlawrence.bsky.social quoted in @bigissue.com ⬇️ www.bigissue.com/news/environ...

Are reparations radical? Kojo Koram speaks to Eleanor Shearer on the case for reparations. For more on reparative justice and extractive capitalism in Caribbean, explore our visual project: https://visualising-extractive-capitalism.common-wealth.org

Publicly-owned buses across Britain have already reinvested profits back into networks, delivered high quality services & rising ridership numbers. They're also innovators — leading the transition to electric buses & free Wi-Fi. www.cityam.com/tfl-wants-to...

“You are already aboard an economic vessel, squinting to see the future atop the forces of production. Your ship could be a business, a government agency, or ... nothing more than your wallet — you are already navigating, economically.” Subscribe to our new newsletter. ⬇️ www.forcesofproduction.com

“We can think about the restructuring of the global economy to remove ... dependence, not just from foreign tourist industries but offshore financial centres & tax havens” — Kojo Koram Explore our visual project on the Caribbean: https://visualising-extractive-capitalism.common-wealth.org

🚨Common Wealth is hiring a Production Officer. Find out more and apply 👇

Deadline extended 🗓️Applications close 10 AM (GMT) Monday 2 February.

“Single-family rentals now account for 40% of all investment in the booming build-to-rent sector.” Read Adam Almeida in @theguardian.com on how the build-to-rent sector is changing — while the public still lose out to institutional investors. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We are proud to announce the launch of Forces of Production — a new monthly newsletter tracking the supply side of the US economy. But first: do you know where the US economy actually is right now? Not how it feels, but what it actually does all day? Most don't. And that's the problem.

Deadline extended 🗓️Applications close 10 AM (GMT) Monday 2 February.

According to SIPRI, NATO’s five per cent target means increasing UK military and security spending by more than £130 billion per year from 2035. The benefits of this will flow to the private shareholders of arms companies. Watch our latest video 👇

Europe has prioritised an arbitrary military spending target set by the US over climate investment. This brought no leverage in the face of violations of international law but risks our collective safety amid the climate crisis. Watch our video on Europe’s military industrial turn.

🚨Common Wealth is hiring a Production Officer. Find out more and apply 👇

“The public have rightly had enough. They want the water industry to be a functioning and affordable essential service. Water could be restored to public ownership at minimal cost ”. Mathew Lawrence in @BigIssue. www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/thames-water-nationalised-debt-water-bills/

“Returning Venezuelan oil production to 1990s peak levels would result in five hundred million tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions... higher than the emissions of France, or the UK”. New analysis from our Co-Director Patrick Bigger. substack.com/@climatecomm...