Manufacturers in GB

Whilst you are right as to the reasons (albeit a litle bit over simplistic) unfortunately, what you suggest as the solution cannot work and would not happen as it requires coordination worldwideto reduce the negative effects of Globalisation. One country alone cannot do it (see my diatribe above -post #20- if you have the patience)

 

Add into this is the simple fact that the raw materials of most things manufactured are produced in Asia, so UK have to and will still always have this issue of increased cost until a replacement of these raw materials with more local ones.

 

The problem is with that, many of these raw materials e.g. precious metals for automotive batteries only exist in certain parts of the World so there ARE no "more local ones".
Britain has always been 'short termist' ...
We filled in many canals. Large none perishable items e.g. aggregate, can be transported in bulk without overloading the road network.
The rail network serving small towns and communities were decimated by Beeching when roads and cars were considered the sole future. (Many countries in Europe maintained many of theirs)
Trams and trolleybuses disappeared from many towns and cities and are now gradually re-.appearing and at great cost to construct with limted coverage . (Many countries in Europe and elsewhere kept theirs)
We destroyed many 'slums' areas of terraced housing with short lived high rise tower blocks that with a bit more vision the former could have been renovated with slightly reduced density into pleasant communities.
Britains it would appear alway rush headlong into the latest fad rather than taking a long term view.

 

Whilst I’m not even pretending to be an expert mate. ( I can only talk in it’s simple form)
I just don’t get the lay down and take it mentality of these people.
As a shop steward
I may tell em a company offer and nearly to a man. “ I’m voting against but it’ll go through.” Defeatists.
This is a true story T’s and C’s issue in my dept. “we’ve been shafted. I’ll be voting no.” Said by every man I met. Around twenty. Only 8 voted against, in around 100 returns.
“ I can’t afford to take industrial action “ Not those who can’t by the way. Those that live way beyond their means. Flash car. Big. House with a mortgage that needs o/time to pay for. Crying when o/time is not available.
Another corker “ what has the union ever done for ME” am throwing art.
YOU are the bloody union.
My view is society can achieve far more if prepared to fight for it. But I’m alright jack mentality overrides.
I am quite comfortable in my financial situation but I’ve never chased money. I’ve never had a loan to buy something I couldn’t afford. ( mortgage well within my means) I’ve had a life I wouldn’t swap with anyone. Regardless of money. A job I’ve enjoyed for the most of my career. A family and friends that I adore. I don’t need anything else. I just wish everyone had those same opportunities. Minimum wage at least living wage. More than that if I had my way. so we could all enjoy the other spoils in life.
My profession has given me those opportunities. But the lower or minimum wage people in society provide far more to society than such as I.
I know Rome wasn’t built in a day. But I would hope to see changes in my lifetime. Eg ReNationalisation of utilities for a start.

 

You English?
I'm British mate
I'm not self important either
My reply was to the poster who complained we spend too much money on nuclear weapons. I explained that they have kept us safe for 50 years and we don't have a manufacturing base as we used to and couldn't sustain a major war unaided, so what factual errors have you noticed?

 

It's debatable whether nuclear weapons have kept us safe.

To some extent Nato, & the membership of the EU I would say were key. Most conflicts in history have been with our European neighbours after all.

The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Spain & Greece have no nuclear weapons & have been free from attack since WW2.

I agree with you about the weaknesses of our army, airforce & navy. I would have been in favour of reversing some of those cuts, as they can be put to practical help in times like these, as we've seen with the building of the Nightingale Hospitals.

 

surely there are many tailors/esses. Machinists etc out there in the UK. perhaps an emergency PPE manufacturing factory/s should be considered.

 

Where do we get the material for the PPE from? It isn't just a piece of cotton with a nice bit of embroidery. And places like Gents shut nearly 20 years ago. Most of those machinists that were left working there have been out of practice for a big chunk of that time.

 

was just making the point that the UK could be capable of making the goods.

 

There are some UK factories already changed over Burberry and Barbour I’ve seen mentioned, I’m sure there’ll be others.

but in line with the SR Gents posts; the only sewing factories left are ‘premium brands’

 

The former Gents factory at Mushroom roundabout in Rotherham did become Burberry for a few years (opposite corner to Asda). It is now a furniture salesroom.

 

I saw an article that said it costs 10p to get something from China into a Warehouse in the UK. With a Chinese factory worker's monthly wage around £300-£400, we are going to struggle. Need to sink some ships pronto.

 

"you English"?.... One individual does not make a nation.

 

my wife worked at gents heelis street for 26 years and she just said that using a sewing machine is like learning to ride a push bike once you learnt you never forget ,would just need to build up speed but an emergency factory is entirely feasible

 

You are spot on mate, I always blame the Thatcher years for the growth in the "me first" mentality, I like you have been fortunate but also worked hard at the expense of family and friends at times but this left me comfortable. within that frame I always held to the view that were in it together but sadly the loss of large scale industry and places like Gents and Cohras plus the Government of the day selling everything off finally killed that world, sadly this has led us to the lack of self sufficiency we demonstrate today. when I posted the original post It was with the view that we could start to change back...

 

british coal recieved no subsidies after the thatcher government came to power

uk coal was the cheapest coal mined in europe