Of all Jeremy Corbyn’s policies, the Labour leader’s pledge to nationalise the railways continues to have the most public support. It is true that British trains run far from smoothly. But some argue that is not because they were privatised but rather because they weren’t privatised properly.

Richard Wellings, head of transport at the Institute of Economic Affairs, calls it a “sham privatisation” because free market economics barely feature.

“It is nowhere near a free market,” Mr Wellings says. “It is highly rigged. The Department for Transport sets the terms of service, meaning the train operators are really in a pretty poor place with very little room for manoeuvre,” he adds.