Petition Stop outsourcing public services

The value of outsourced public services has risen from £9.6bn in 2008 to £20.4bn in 2012. From education, to prisons, to unemployment programmes, analysts estimate that it could hit £101bn by 2014-15. Yet despite this huge boon for private companies and their wealthy bosses, there has been little demonstrable improvement in those services.

Alongside this lack of improvement, outsourcing also creates a democratic deficit, because those who are responsible for public services are not accountable to ordinary citizens at the ballot box. Outsourcing can also result in lower wages and job losses.

We demand the government commission an independent report into the effectiveness of outsourced public services. In the meantime, outsourcing should be slowed and alternatives pursued.