We in NZ experienced fire sales of state assets for much the same lame excuse. The reality is that the publics acess to services declines and that there is a diminution in the democratic process in favour of vested interest groups who invariably have capital. Public service becomes private gain.

Nick J, Wellington, NZ

There is one privatisation that should now happen - sell off 90% of the BBC and let it sink or swim without the TV license tax imposed on us all.

Gareth, Brighton, UK

The Forestry Commission...oh great we will get charged to take the dog for a walk in the woods next....at this rate they will sell off the all the parks.

JPG, Oakham, UK

The only question that needs to be asked of the present Government, more to the point the present PM, is "Gordon......is the rationale for selling these assets the same rationale you had when selling out all our gold.......? And did it work last time?"

No more Brown boom and bust!

Jonathan, Leeds, England

The biggie is the Post Office, maybe that will be sold off on the cheap now. As many posters and the article recognise, it is not a good time to be selling.

We still need both those aircraft carriers and a nuclear deterrent though, don't we?

John, Edinburgh, UK

They are now a distress sale so we will get lot less for them.

R Mason, London, UK

Rather than selling all its assets, we all know that rather than sell off all our assets, reduce public expenditure by imposing a five or ten per cent reduction in the salaries of all public sector employees to bring them in line with the private sector salaries. Extreme measures yes we need them!

Kevin Rowen, South Staffordshire, UK

Absolutely despicable. If you sell these off they will be managed with a greater emphasis on profit than for the public good. So many assets have been stripped from the public by local Authorities and Government with minimal accountability or questioning. Soon I will have to pay to vote!

H Henderson, Wealdstone London, UK

A government that has no understanding of making money in order to share wealth. Buying bankrupt banks but selling precious assets low. A policy of poverty distribution throughout the UK.

Ian Skelly, Hemel Hempstead, UK

Selling off the Ordnance Survey would be absolutely disastrous. Instead it needs to be fully nationally funded - the costs to businesses, councils and everyone else that are imposed from its data being non-free are considerable, and the world is moving in the opposite direction (free web access).

Thomas, Lodon, UK

You can say one thing for this labour government they have surpaseed all others in the economic mess they create. Its taken a little longer this time, but my word they have realy done it properly.

Nick, Shrewsbury, UK

I wonder how many Labour voters - any left? - support such privatisations?

Wrong time to sell anything but Labour like to dump Btitish assests for a song! Someone will make a fortune from this and it will not be the Government.

Gary , London, UK

The worst time to go to a pawnbroker is when you need money. Gordon has no idea of timing, nor a sense of history. As I recall we haven't got any gold reserves because Gordon sold them at the worst possible time.If he were selling them nowe he'd make a fortune.

Jeremiah, London, Essex

They don't have a clue.
Eat Capital to live on a day to day basis.
Just like people in this country who kept re-mortgaging their houses to buy trash because the media made out you weren't living without it and to keep up with the neighbours.

Johny, Kings Langley, England

The last folly a Chancellor made was to sell all of our gold reserves at $300 per oz. HArdly The Wizard of Oz to work out that these sales are forced upon us again due to gross mismanagement of the UK Economy. Extrodinary times call for extrodinary idiots.

michael, chelmsford, england

Oh dear, the're at it again, selling Crown responsibilities/properties for a song to fund current expenditure! Remember DERA/QinetiQ? When will they ever learn?

R Lindsey, Chesterfield, UK

More family silver for sale at Knock down prices. This Government is like a drunk in a Casino, to cover losses, sell every piece of valuable it can lay its hands on in order to double the bet

S Yogarajah, Harrow, UK

I thought the Labour party were against privatisation? Maybe Sainsbury could buy them, he seems to have more money than he knows what to do with. He could get them at a discounted price as worked out by Brown when he sold the gold in 1999.

Grey, Auckland, NZ