(13 Apr 2013, 10:44 pm)V802EBR wrote I can assure those doubters that the report is far from 'froth' or an election ploy.

As a party member the issue is being debated significantly within the party, and those pessimists forget that the last Labour Government continued the de-regulated consensus.

The proposals in the manifesto being drawn up over the next year, will offer a significant change, a radical one if you may want to call it that.

Competition has failed as monopolies have been accepted, the 'socialisation' or 'mutualisation' of buses will probably become a reality. It has done in London and nearly did in Manchester.

At this stage it's much better to look forward rather than back.

I am sorry to say this but your comments just reinforce that this is a puff piece. Yes, it might be a matter where there are views but if it still under debate, then it is nowhere near becoming policy. It would be an error to forget what Labour did last time.

The government would be sending a strong message out if it chose a feasible bid, rather than a bid based on dreams. The government can learn from its errors and identify the mistakes that were made in that process. It is a matter of evolving the process to take advantage of best practice and lessons learned.

It is very easy to brand private companies with the simple marker of greed but it takes two to tango, and if the government fails to look after the processes it has created, it shares the blame.