The European Super League looks to have been killed by the universal opposition of supporters, players, managers and even politicians.
I am pleased.
I would be more pleased if the similarly abusive behaviour of the government with regard to the NHS were to excite as much opposition, because their intention to undermine the ethos of public service in the NHS, with the intention to replace it with a pursuit of private profit, is of considerably greater concern.
Corruption, greed, exploitation and abuse have long been known to be the end point of unfettered capitalism.
I support the idea of regulated markets in which private sector enterprise can exist, and flourish. Working in partnership with government, such entities are part of the only viable model for our future economy that we have. So I do not accept for a moment any suggestion that I oppose the market economy.
But I do oppose the abuse of the market economy that those on the economic right wing now suggest to be the acceptable face of capitalism.
The European Super League was example of that abusive form of capitalism. So too would a privatised medical service in the UK be abusive, because this is a natural monopoly where exploitation of the public and of the public purse, alongside denial of access, are the only inevitable outcomes of encroaching privatisation that permeates the NHS now.
We need anger in its defence.
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There does not appear to be any form of effective regulation – BHS, Carillion, Woodford, London Capital Finance, Patissiere Valerie, Greensill.
Auditors do not appear to have any reporting responsibilites to the regulatory bodies or to the wider society. Form outranks substance every time, an ongoing perversion of accounting standards.
The sheer complexity of some of the financial practices, developed in secret and rolled out without any public scrutiny despite the fact that they affect all of our lives – authorised corporate directors, delegated regulatory duties, prime brokerage arms of financial entitites able to create money for speculative ventures, shadow banks owning regulated banks, industrial congomerates owning banks, crown representatives, Britcoin. What is going on, where is the democratic oversight?
These now underscore virtually every commercial action we enter into, but despite their existential importance they are beyond the interest and knowledge of the vast majority, reaction only evinced when it affects football.
Yes — and the current concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide is already costing lives and livelihoods. Football is fun to play and watch but it’s time that international sport was abandoned. National sport could provide enough entertainment for fans at their home grounds or a few local derbies.
At some stage I hope we will realise that flying or motoring for pleasure is akin to manslaughter and is reckless risk to our own lives and the lives of our families.
Typo I think. “abusive *form* of capitalism”
Corrected
Thanks
I agree the NHS is a far more important issue that goes under the radar for most voters. The fact that the ESL has hit such a nerve and created universal condemnation means we have a precedent that needs following up so it can be used in future compensation cases. I do not know whether this is possible under the injunction taken out by those clubs who set up the ESL, but in doing so they jeopardised the future of the whole structure of football in the country. Many clubs were / are on the brink of financial disaster because of lockdown, the creation of the ESL would have placed even greater strain on future funding. I hope that the Premier League and EFL I pose immediate sanctions on the six clubs involved by
Imposing an immediate 25 point reduction, or demand an immediate 150mn euro payment, half the sum the clubs were due to get for joining the ESL, to maintain the status quo.
This would mean the two Manchester clubs would have their chances of qualifying for the Champions League considerably setback ( Man. City or Chelsea could still qualify by winning the Champions League providing UEFA allow them to continue in the competition).
Arsenal and Spurs would be in a relegation dogfight with Liverpool and Chelsea just above it.
Any club choosing the 150mn euro option would have their transfer budget severely curtailed and would probably have to offload some of their squad in the summer.
The 150mn could go to match funding the purchase of fan buyouts when clubs get into difficulties, helping the move towards fan shareholding in clubs.
Actions should have consequences. The six clubs tried to create a risk free cartel and insulate themselves against competitive risk; it is amazing they did not anticipate the level of condemnation that followed and have demonstrated insensitivity and incompetence on a massive scale. Creating such a precedent would lead to comparisons when other public bodies are exploited. This would be an important public conscious raising issue with widespread ramifications.
Interesting….you are ahead of me
Richard
Many will agree that the future of the NHS is a bell weather issue.
Rest assured that activists are fighting the Centene takeover of GP practices in North London.
Watch this space.
A new QC is on the block :
https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/adam-straw-qc
Good luck