I'm actually quite sympathetic to the Greens (I even knew Zack Polanski back when he was a Lib Dem!) but I agree they haven't got the policy details right. They *are* right on urgency/need to boldly argue for a better future though! I just think we (LDs) would do a better job in practice.

In terms of Earlsdon ward, or Coventry South as a constituency, I think we've just done way more than the Greens here. Equally, as much as it pains me to admit it, I think they've done more in the north of Cov.

I'd prefer it if people voted LD everywhere, of course, but I understand the dilemma! 😛

Thank you! This is very kind.

Formally I think people in both the Lib Dems & Greens aren't supposed to say this but I think there's a good case for voters to choose based on which party has been working the area they're in. As the voting system stands that's the best way of making your vote count.

I've had to cross post the @tracyalloway.bsky.social wisdom (with my possibly less wise commentary) because I didn't want Bluesky to miss out on the exciting UK fiscal policy discussion.

I once gave a squirrel a strawberry the size of the squirrel's torso. They ate the whole thing while watching me & my friend, who was very concerned about the health risks to the squirrel.

It's because of fools like me that squirrels have gotten so brave. I apologise for being part of the problem.🙁

I'm actually more worried about customer profit sharing.

Gives an immediate feedback mechanism for customers sharing ownership of the mutual to see that things are functioning/it gives a mechanism for returning profits to customers if they needed to supply funds for maintenance, etc. Etc.

A "funundrum" if you will.

I'm also unsure how we do capital acquisition. Just borrowing via the bond market?

Ultimately water companies will need access to capital to finance upgrades and maintenance.

I think if we're going the co-op route I lean towards the @paulhindley2210.bsky.social customer owned mutuals option.

My main worry is that I I'm not sure how to construct competitive elections with a well informed electorate for something like that.

The governance structure is a fun conundrum.

We are also very wedded to those two things.

We could equally have a shared system if we wanted to. Part privately owned, part local govt, part national, part customer owned, part worker owned.

Any combination thereof.

The affording to buy it bit is by far the least useful part of the discussion!

that allow these organisations to work well and create the most value"

Sometimes that's private, sometimes that's public.

I do struggle to see how privatising water helps but I also worry about the idea that nationalising it solves anything by itself. It does nothing in and of itself.