麻豆约拍

Rail privatisation is the "economics of the madhouse", according to Paul Nowak, assistant general secretary of the TUC.

"There is a very clear case for public ownership on a line-by-line basis", said Mr Nowak, ahead of the release of the latest inflation figures, which will be used to calculate how much rail fares will increase by next year.

The East Coast line, which was nationalised from 2009 - 2015, was a "living, breathing example of when public ownership worked", he said.