Value (and profit) doesn’t only come only from the monetary wealth status quo, but in other forms of wealth - the standard of living and wellbeing that we all notice everyday, but can’t put a price on. By making sure the infrastructure is working efficiently and being upgraded, maybe we can take a little bit of negativity out of our days.
Taking a stake in our collective future.
Infrastructure is necessary and invaluable both to our daily lives and the economic potential of this country. We shouldn’t let international investors decide the cost and value of investments in infrastructure, or control their effect on our day to day lives. If investors believe they can exact a profit from our infrastructure why don’t we choose to invest in it, and save the cost. A British Infrastructure bank should focus on what matters to the British people, maintaining the underlying machinery that makes our lives just a bit better.
If on average each British person could ‘lend’ £1000 towards a British Infrastructure Bank, immediately more than £40bn of ‘zero-interest’ investment could be leveraged towards the future of this country. By taking a not-for-profit, but not-for-loss mentality, the intention of this bank would be making investments in infrastructure that will bring the average standard of living in this country upwards, while ensuring sufficient oversight that this investment can continue well into the future.
Ambitious but responsible.
Whether through taking water companies into a form of ‘community’ ownership, building ‘affordable’ houses, what infrastructure matters to the British people should be guided by them, and built by them, not just for now, but for the generations to come that may look at the general state of disrepair with no confidence in our shared future.