There appears to be an inability in most people's minds to distinguish between the provision of essential services and the delivery of those services. They seem to think that if a service is to be delivered, it must be delivered by a public sector body.
Exactly so, I couldn't have put it better. When I have the misfortune to find myself listening to this viewpoint I can only wonder whether it is an inability or unwillingness to understand.
There are several posters here of this ilk. I'd love to hear why it's logical for retail and legal companies to be privately owned but not bus, health insurance and peat (!) companies.