Second Labour leadership contender backs re-nationalisation of the railways

Some in Labour say taking railways back into public ownership should be a priority

Some in Labour say taking railways back into public ownership should be a priority

The private operation of the railways suffers a further blow today as a position of re-nationalisation that left-winger Jeremy Corbyn had to defend as "not extreme" is backed by Labour former frontbencher Andy Burnham.

Burnham says: "Time to tell it as it is. Rail privatisation just hasn't worked. Our railway costs 40% more to run than the European average but satisfaction is down and fares keep going up. Time to put passengers before profit. As Labour leader, I will pursue a policy of progressive re-nationalisation." He would create a new 'National Rail' governing body to end "fragmentation" of the railways but would only allow publicly-owned operators to compete with private ones. 

Voting suggests that the veteran left-winger Corbyn and advocate of re-nationalisation could win the race and Burnham's intervention is this morning seen as an attempt to head this off.