I'm not sure describing privatisation is dishonest is correct.
Nationalised industries are monopolistic and whilst they need not necessarily motivated by profit or shareholder dividends, (the old British Industries still used to have to make a return set on money invested in them by the Government iirc) they are protected from competition and therefore have little incentive to become more efficient and effective, nor invest in research and development nor technological developments.
Competition is not necessarily a bad thing.
Certainly in terms of local government the compulsory requirement to put council blue collar work out to tender saved Town Halls across the country millions by cutting age old job protection practices and by using the massive economies of scale they had (the private companies tendering against the councils) in buying plant and machinery.
The result of this deregulation meant lower council taxes but a vast majority of the profits on running these contracts going abroad to particularly French companies (that some were saying were being 'illegally' financially supported by the French Government in order to compete in the first place!).
What mustn't be forgotten - and the point behind it all - was the political will at the time.
The Thatcher government had in mind to break the large Labour Council's that consistently defied them by deliberately overspending their government allocation to all the various councils - particularly Liverpool who at one time refused to set their Rates - which ultimately led to measures such as Rate Capping, Compulsory Competitive Tendering and ultimately the Poll Tax.
Privatisation is not all bad nor Nationalisation all good (or visa versa) - some services perhaps should be protected and not have to face competition, whilst others should - but who says which is which - the politicians of course - and depending who is trying to get power (Rule 1) and those attempting to keep power (Rule 2) - depends on what posture will be taken.
These postures may as mad as it may seem - not be in the best long terms interests of the country - and I guess the complete balls up we've got ourselves in over Brexit - from the completely unnecessary referendum by Cameron to shut up anti-EU wing of his party, to the lack of will from Corbyn to fight to prevent it - is all about short term political gains / limiting losses.
It's all a game really - Machiavellian - which he wrote about in his book The Prince five hundred years ago!
People shouldn't take politics seriously - most politicians certainly don't - you only have to look at all of those involved in the MP's expenses scandal to judge what their integratory is to their beliefs!