Cameronland

It must be party time at A4e at the moment. David Cameron has set out his plans to abolish the public sector and privatise all public services. Local councils will exist simply to channel our money into private companies under contracts to provide just about everything. Those companies will be expected to use the voluntary sector, which will make things cheaper - assuming that there are still volunteers willing to assist in this enterprise. In Cameronland (a very different place from where most of us live), "This is a transformation: instead of having to justify why it makes sense to introduce competition in some public services – as we are now doing with schools and in the NHS – the state will have to justify why it should ever operate a monopoly."

A4e has been building up a presence in the education and health sectors and many more, and so will be well placed to snap up contracts, but Capita and Serco are ahead of them, and there are plenty of other companies in the queue for this lucrative work. I don't remember ever being asked whether I wanted this to happen. I don't remember voting for it. I don't want any more of my money going into private profits.

For those who think it's okay, remember what happened in 2007. Severe flooding hit many areas, and large numbers of council workers turned out, voluntarily, to give practical help on their council's behalf. What private company will we turn to the next time something similar happens?