The franchise holders of the East Coast mainline, Stagecoach and Virgin, are to lose their franchise shortly, as they have been unable to pay their agreed franchise payments to the government. The last time this occurred, when National Express failed to make the payments, the line was run by a government body - that is renationalised - and made a profit for the government. There are those of us who think this is a hint that all these lines would be better if renationalised, as is Labour's policy if they win the next general election. Something similar happened in New Zealand.