G4S to Run Birmingham Prison

[bb21]

Ken Clarke privatises Birmingham Prison amid union fury

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12920843

My goodness. If they are as bad at it as they run Northern's blockades at Manchester Piccadilly, I hate to think what the justice system would become. Oh, yes? A joke? I hear ye.

 

[Mojo]

This is nothing new. Group 4 (which then merged with Falk to become Group 4 Falk, which then had a merger with Securicor to form Group 4 Securicor (later renaming to G4S)) was highly embarrassed in the early 1990s over a number of blunders leading to escaping prisoners: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1822528.stm

In other G4S news; the front page of the Standard this evening: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...urity-guard-held-over-explosives-and-drugs.do

 

[SS4]

I hear the sound of floodgates being opened
Selling off state assets will help balance the books in the short term but it leaves us worse off in the long term - did they learn nothing from the buses, energy and telecoms?

What's going to happen when G4S need money? They'll have to go to the government cap in hand (who are unlikely to refuse due to it being a prison) or conditions (for staff and/or prisoners)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There was an announcement yesterday that G4S are to do the security for the Olympics next year; apparently this involves the recruitment of an additional 10,000 security staff.

Probably going to actually be 10,001 vacancies after the headlines this morning...

 

[the sniper]

Does anyone (probably from the Birmingham area) know when Winson Green Prison became 'Birmingham Prison'? I live in Birmingham, but never knew that Prison was called 'Birmingham Prison'.

 

[SS4]

Does anyone (probably from the Birmingham area) know when Winson Green Prison became 'Birmingham Prison'? I live in Birmingham, but never knew that Prison was called 'Birmingham Prison'.

Nor me, your post was the first I knew about it.

Perhaps it's similar to Dudley Road hospital changing its name? In other words locals still call it dudley road

 

[Geezertronic]

Nor me, your post was the first I knew about it.

Perhaps it's similar to Dudley Road hospital changing its name? In other words locals still call it dudley road

Same as locals still referring to Heartlands Hospital as East Birmingham Hospital (either that or Heartless Hospital...)