Five British nationalisations – and what happened next

From Henry VIII to the telegram network, how the state intervened in the private sector - and who got the money

Many are calling for change in England's private water sector. But what should replace it?

Is the answer the state buying back the water companies? Or would that simply land the public sector with the problems created by wealthy owners, who would walk away with a payout? And if nationalisation did come back on the table, as it did in Labour's 2017 manifesto, how much compensation should be paid to English water's current owners?