I would agree - but unless the government is going to borrow the billions to build them what are the options?

Governments can borrow more cheaply by virtue of being governments.

Why subsidise a foreign state owned company?

Is it healthy to have such a close tie to the Chinese for projects like this?

Personally I think the whole idea is half baked. The design for these new reactors is flawed and EDF are having real problems making it work.

Rather than marrying ourselves to some eye wateringly costly unproven nuclear option why not continue with coal and gas for now?

Perhaps maybe put the nuclear money into investment into wave and tidal power? Could be a massive growth industry for the future we could then sell to others.

But we will be paying that back, probably at a higher interest rate than what we can borrow. As PFI's have shown, this kind of initiative ends up costing more than it saves.

The misconception that tax pays for spending is confusing. The economy doesnt work like a household budget, its more like a business. The government spends to facilitate greater tax collection.

For example every £1 you invest in say a homeless service, will save you £5 - £10 in NHS/Police costs.

Similarly, investing in infrastructure like roads, railways, internet connections etc increases productivity and thus tax take.

These things are done as a "short term" fix. As far as possible we should control ALL of our utilities, just in case we fall out with other nations - not that a forward thinking nation like ours would ever dream of cutting ties with its international neighbours ??

As you say, it seems bonkers to pay someone else to set these things up AND guarantee their income.
Surely it would have been far better for this to be capital investment that we (the UK) control ?

Interesting to see what pictures the press went with compared to the reality.

Sarcasm does not become you.

The short-term fix is not the power station itself, it is the need to get in foreign capital to keep the country afloat (remember the quote about reliance on the generosity of strangers). Sadly, unless our economy suddenly develops a must have new product or service that the world wants the longer-term looks bleak.

Good job we're part of a big trading bloc and thus trade on an equal footing with big countries like the USA and China....oh.

I see the rail unions are going to strike - nationalisation that's going to fun!!

I'm sure the Russians really value that relationship when they are pumping their gas to usicon_biggrin.gif

You've already gone off Brexit then.
Once we're out of the EU, everything is going to be great.
We will be an outward looking nation building up this once great nation.

As I said, having control of major infrastructure and utilities should be at the top of our list.
All we are doing is the equivalent of Labour's PFI schemes to build hospitals and schools on the never never.
These capital projects should have been centrally funded and not left us paying over the odds for the next century.

You still really, really fed up about Brexit then?

Every time i pop in here it is page after page day after day of your doomsday predictions and negativity... it is happening, cheer up it's not the end of the world

Like all businesses timing is key - perhaps now is not the correct time to add further borrowing?

Where is the gas and coal coming from?

Fancy not pricing up your nationalisation plans. Maybe they were hoping this 'investment' would be overlooked by the Tories.

Today we get to hear the Liberals telling us that kids can have bus passes up to the age of 21. Oh and taxes will go up. Didn't we hear that yesterday in a different guise. Oh not just for the achievers.