Yep, should have done that a while ago, been pretty dangerous sometimes in the countries I have been to with a British passport.
I can assure you I do. Doesn't mean I can't hold my opinions and express them.It's not always something to be proud of.i think we should aspire to be gentlemen
I agree with you sir...
Funny that the UK was the only country which blocked Euro legislation to impose anti dumping duties on Chinese Steel just a few months ago. Why was that? Lobbying by the big (foreign owned) car makers perhaps?
This government has continued the near 40 year attack on manufacturing started by Thatcher and what little there is left cannot compete in international commodity markets because of decades of under investment due to short sighted policies, yes, some of which are European in origin in respect of controls on state aid (to try and prevent state - driven protectionism which is anathema to the European ideal), but others such as unilateral energy policy eg climate change levies, Fits and Rocs plus obsessive privatisations of natural monopolies which have pushed the price of utilities up to internationally uncompetitive levels.
When energy intensive industries are faced with this sort of of dogma - driven bombardment guess what, they stop investing. Hence productivity slows up.
And that's where we are now. Much of our remaining manufacturing base is unproductive and operating in a high cost economy.
The efficient ones? Well the aforementioned car industry - Nissan & Toyota for instance- are rightly held up as shining examples of high productivity. True. Foreign inward investment which had a clean sheet, great management and who came here because we were in the European Union. Think they'll be here in 20 years if we leave the EU? Oh, and how much other inward investment do we think we'll attract here for being outside the EU with our high cost economy? How much business is holding off investment decisions until it finds out which way the vote goes? And if we vote out, yet another couple of years of uncertainty. Good luck.
And there in lies the crux, it's decision time. Perhaps some investors are waiting to see if we vote to leave Europe before committing their money. On the other hand how may more are doing the same before they see if we vote to stay?
Tony.
All true that we have decimated manufacturing. But also true that we have become weak in the EU. Thatcher was no friend to manufacturing but Blair was just as bad and did more damage by attempting to feather Labour's nest by allowing excess immigration to change the social makeup of the country. We need courage and conviction not fear. The way to grow manufacturing again is to protect our own as needed and develop innovative products that the rest of the world wants at a premium. Not chase mediocrity in the EU markets.
Totally agree here John, though Margaret Thatcher was no friend to manufacturing is a bit wide of the mark I think. What she was no friend of was over powerful trade unions which had held our country to ransom for the previous 2 decades. That's where are manufacturing ended.
Tony.
That's true Tony but if you read any biographies of Thatcher you can see that she held not great affection for manufacturing and considered it secondary to other sectors. Denis Thatcher often intervened to persuade her privately of the value of manufacturing.
And who is going to do that? Back to the steelworks thing again, what did the British Government say?
Go and find some foreign funding.
I agree the anti manufacturing dogma has transcended all governing political parties. It truly runs deep, stemming I believe from an in ate bias towards the "successful" financial services industry.
We are still one of the leading nations for creativity and innovation. But look at the James Dyson model. Invent it here , make it in Thailand cos it's cheaper.
Leaving the EU will simply fire more torpedos at the remaining manufacturing base.
Oh and the financial services industry? Far more mobile than manufacturing due to the fact all they need is an office and a phone line... they will be queuing up for the ferry to Frankfurt or Paris.
I have no issue with foreign funding, that's market forces; my issue is with social and antidemocratic control from Europe.
Except who wants to give up their London luxury lifestyle for sausages in Frankfurt and arrogance in Paris?
I've never read any of those biographies John, so if that's the case well done to Dennis. I guess any PM will have some input from their wife/husband. Sadly Blair had far too much from the Witch. The bottom line is you have to earn what you get paid, otherwise it cannot be sustained, and that applies here, in Europe, anywhere in the world.
Tony.
Tony.
Agree Tony.
How about some wild sex in Amsterdam?....
Been to Frankfurt and it's really nice and only an hour from Nuburgring ,But Paris not for me,they do seem arrogant a bit like some northern englanders
No thanks.How about some wild sex in Amsterdam?....
No we are just blunt.Been to Frankfurt and it's really nice and only an hour from Nuburgring ,But Paris not for me,they do seem arrogant a bit like some northern englanders
Tempting....How about some wild sex in Amsterdam?....