both sides now

There's a whole big bunch of people out there who see no value whatsoever in the public sector and would privatise anything they can get their hands on. Fortunately for them the market, not surprisingly, is doing it on their behalf. The rise of two-speed economies in the major cities such as London and Sydney has the effect of pricing public sector workers out of large parts of these cities. Gentrification, high-rise luxury apartments and the like are not affordable or often suitable for those on fixed lower incomes - teachers, ambulance paramedics and the like. This article notes that the trend in London is spreading. As I understand it, England itself is a two speed economy where the south, integrated with the global financial/services economy, is thriving but the post-industrial north is declining. Stereotyping I know, but the bankers and insurance financial types who are now buying up country cottages, villages and so on are pricing everyone else out.

You certainly get better journalism in the UK than you do here. This opinion piece in the Times of London not only makes a number of cogent points about ideology (namely neo-conservatism) but lays it on the line with a number of people from both sides of politics including a fellow journo at the paper. The point of the article, about current opposition leader David Cameron needing to preserve some policy space for himself rather than nail his colours to the neoconservative mast, seems very sensible and is well argued in my view. Can you imagine any similar article here about Beazley. They'd be wanting to know "what does he stand for?" No recognition of realities or subtlety.