N' why is it that such firms as Southern Cross have to be regulated? Isn't it inherent as part of the service of running a care home organisation you'll not run up so much debt that the whole company collapses leaving 750 care homes and 30,000 residents exposed to closure..... Which is now the situation... leaving the public purse to have to do the right thing and keep them open till buyers can be found.

But.. now other care home providers are found to be in the same situation. If they fail.. The government of the UK will have to step in to safeguard the elderly and vulnerable.

Does the government need to babysit these firms and change the bedsheets of the directors who will just lose their job... Nothing to stop them moving onto another firm.

.... As it is.. You have more rights buying a kettle from Argos than being a resident in these care homes or indeed if your brand new home collapses from bad workmanship.

Our pensioners are told that the big power firms need to increase prices while already making record profits, leading to more "fuel poverty".

... Interesting history bit. One of the factors involved in the winning of WWI was the betting on the stock exchange in Wall Street on who would win. I imagine how pleased the Allied troops must have felt crossing no man's land, knowing that some some rich stockbroker just made a few thousand on how many of them will die that day.

Such is Capitalism.