Decline of British economy

[konstabel els]

One of the main reasons that the British economy is in the ---- , is our lack to manufacture , please bear in in mind that the German / Japanese economies were in a no win situation after the 2nd world war , however - they skilled their people and adopted the the attitude that ' people will never buy our products because of who we are , but they will buy our our products because they are better' -

[westerby]

We became inept at manufacture, Thatcher slashed the nation's manufacturing base so pulling the rug from under the Unions and we moved into the service industries where we bloomed. We have enjoyed the longest period of economic growth over 16 years (our GDP last year was $2.13 trillion). To move back into manufacture will be a mistake because we priced ourselves out of the market years ago. The British people have excellent skill sets that there's a global market for.

We've been in this economic situation at least twice since 1970 and we will come out of this quagmire soon but it will hurt. What we have to keep tabs on is how we are going to repay the massive debt that the Half Wits in No.10 and No.11 have borrowed (is the Labour Government brave enough to raise income tax?). Somehow, I can't see their cunning plan of selling those banking shares is going to succeed in the way that they hope (i.e. make a tidy profit).

Meanwhile, Konstabel Els, keep an eye out for those Icelandic terrorists.

Icelandic Jihad: Suicide Cod Bombers.

[konstabel els]

Problem is westers , if we continue to de- skill our nation , example - everybody can 'rap and dance ' nowdays under tony blairs ' new britain ' , - like the brazilians - lots of 'carnivals - but shitloads of poverty and not one soul is educated - the genuine skill of the British people will be never used , unfortunately I see so many British unprepared to work , when the welfare state wipes their arse

as for the Icelandic terrorists - West Ham have always been skint , nothing new there!!, but I still luv em'

[westerby]

Problem is westers , if we continue to de- skill our nation , example - everybody can 'rap and dance ' nowdays under tony blairs ' new britain ' , - like the brazilians - lots of 'carnivals - but **** of poverty and not one soul is educated - the genuine skill of the British people will be never used , unfortunately I see so many British unprepared to work , when the welfare state wipes their arse

You mean a brain drain? Yeah, good point, I've seen a few people in my job set off for Canada and Australia, etc.

The sad thing is that there is a shortage of engineers in the Western world. We can never get enough people to work for our company and it's the same at other Aerospace companies in the UK.

[konstabel els]

I dont mean a brain drain , what I mean is , the UK needs to start skilling its young, - Engineering , science , -any basic skill , as opposed to what the current government does - study rap music ,ethnic culture ,anger management, Instead of the basic -reading , writing , arithmetic, like i have said - de -skilling our nation

[WBU ALUM]

I dont mean a brain drain , what I mean is , the UK needs to start skilling its young, - Engineering , science , -any basic skill , as opposed to what the current government does - study rap music ,ethnic culture ,anger management, Instead of the basic -reading , writing , arithmetic, like i have said - de -skilling our nation

You mean the basics are where it's at? Reading, writing and math?

Gee, US has the same problems.

Wonder who has been putting all that extra emphasis on cultural studies, womens' studies, etc.? :-"

Seriously, I believe that the labor pool in England, just like that of the US, has priced itself out of the manufacturing businesses. Labor unions, while good for insuring workers' rights and fair pay, have done much to push manufacturing to countries with lower costs of living.

Add the environmental regulations and corporate taxes, and it is easy to see why manufacturing is elsewhere.

[konstabel els]

Problem is my US friend , that the people who ' represent us ' have never done a days work in their life

[WBU ALUM]

Problem is my US friend , that the people who ' represent us ' have never done a days work in their life

They not only do not understand hard work, but they have little or no knowledge of economics and never seem to learn from the earlier mistakes made in history.

[konstabel els]

Problem is my US friend , that the people who ' represent us ' have never done a days work in their life

They not only do not understand hard work, but they have little or no knowledge of economics and never seem to learn from the earlier mistakes made in history.

dont worry, they will be safe in their ' Mummies homes' - with cherie blair, gordon and tony , meanwhile our children will be getting there legs blown off, and no home to come to ,because you can not afford a morgage in your own country , But labour still loves the working class!! , sorry I forgot to tony blairs mansion in Tuscanny

[BobHelm]

Seriously, I believe that the labor pool in England, just like that of the US, has priced itself out of the manufacturing businesses. Labor unions, while good for insuring workers' rights and fair pay, have done much to push manufacturing to countries with lower costs of living.

That just is not true of the UK WBU. I worked for a US company in the UK in manufacturing. Not only was the UK company the most cost effective of any of the company's plants (which included Mexico and Brazil) we also manufactured at exactly the same cost as China. In addition we did "value adds" (take an order for a complicated product in the morning & deliver it that evening) that no other of its plants (or sister plants in Japan) could do. However the unit was closed down (with the loss of 2,000 jobs) because it was cheaper to release labour in the UK than it was at its less efficient plant in Holland.

[arjay]

Konstabel Els, reading doesn't seem to be one of your strong points either. The alleged decline of the British Economy is hardly a General Topic on Udon Thani.

I'll move it to General Debates & Discussions.

[arjay]

I don't see that the current financial crisis as anything to do with the decline of British manufacturing. It's as a result of bank and other financial institutions taking on "toxic" debt and the subsequent massive contraction in the availability of credit, combined with a period of booming house prices etc.

Yes, the manufacturing base in the Uk has changed/evolved over the last 60 years, in that some industries wax and some wane, - that's evolution/progress.

The major problem that the Uk and many countries are now going to be faced with is the drying up of their markets, or as the article below describes it - "a global economic downturn caused by a massive contraction of the availability of credit".

Take a look at how some other countries' global manufacturers are being affected, in this extract from BBC's Robert Peston's article:-

In just the past few hours - as we've had official confirmation that the British economy contracted by a bigger-than-expected 0.5% in the three months to 30 September - we've had profits warning after profits warning from huge manufacturers coping with horrible trading conditions.

At the world's second largest motor manufacturer, Toyota, there's been a drop in quarterly sales for the first time in seven years.

Sony has cut its earnings forecast.

The number two car maker in Europe, Peugeot, has reduced its targets for full-years sales and profits. And Volvo AB reduced its forecast for growth in the heavy truck industry this year.

What we're experiencing is a global economic downturn caused by a massive contraction of the availability of credit.

It may shortly be confirmed as a global recession, and - because it's global and because it's origins are in the withdrawal of credit - it's unlike anything we've experienced since the 1930s.

Unlike the 1930s, our governments have both the tools and the knowledge to stave off depression, so it's fair to assume we're in for years of poor economic performance but not serious impoverishment.

That said, I'm not sure many quoted companies can be confident they know quite how far their profits will fall before the inevitable bounce.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/

[lepidoptra]

It's true the UK has little to offer when it comes to exports.
Being named the finacial centre of the world produces nothing.
The UK is full of IT wizkids, finacial advisors, stock market gamblers and rip off so;icitors. No wonder we're in a mess.

[timthebrit]

I heard a stocktrader in London describe his position as 'worse than getting a divorce'. He said, ' I've lost half of my net worth but still have a wife'.

[westerby]

It's true the UK has little to offer when it comes to exports.
Being named the finacial centre of the world produces nothing.
The UK is full of IT wizkids, finacial advisors, stock market gamblers and rip off so;icitors. No wonder we're in a mess.

I disagree wholeheartedly with what you've written. I work in a company that exports skills and avionic/electronic systems to other nations. Other companies in my field, like British Aerospace and Agusta Westland are also just as successful in exporting services, etc. They may be global entities in this day and age but they still generate business from a British base so benefiting our nation. And let's not forget the smaller engineering companies that export specialist assets to the rest of the World. I know of one company in the south west making electrical harnesses for foreign aircraft and fighting vehicles as well as another in Surrey that installs avionic systems on German helicopters.

Arjay is correct, the mess we're in is down to toxic debt, not because we're useless at exports. Stop rubbishing the Brits, we're pretty good at what we do.

manufacturing is only a part of exporting

[konstabel els]

Basically the Japanese can bail themselves out of recession because thay can export , in other words they can come to table with something to offer, unfortunately britain cant these days because it's got ---- all, apart from tv shows, art and ' carnivals' , thats why millions of immigrants come to the UK, because our own people are simply to lazy or havent been skilled in the first place -bear in mind hackney council last month spent £40 million on a carnival to celebrate diversity - that could have paid a thousand apprenticeship's in engineering.

[westerby]

Basically the Japanese can bail themselves out of recession because thay can export , in other words they can come to table with something to offer, unfortunately britain cant these days because it's got **** all,

Manufacturing is only part of exporting. Our days of exporting cars, ships and coal are over, you've got to look at exporting from a different perspective. Heavy industry, such as car manufacture, is cheaper to undertake in Asia, we priced ourselves out of that market years ago.

There is more than one way to skin a cat

[konstabel els]

I understand that westerby , but what frightens me is that our country is no longer teaching anybody basic skills - leading to advanced skills, I personnaly think we have the best engineers in the world ,and all our current government wants to do is ignore this , there is no doubt the UK will end up like brazil, people in dire poverty, but they can 'carnival and samba'

[konstabel els]

Konstabel Els, reading doesn't seem to be one of your strong points either. The alleged decline of the British Economy is hardly a General Topic on Udon Thani.

I'll move it to General Debates & Discussions.

=D> , ok I'll accept that one,

it aint easy being a frustrated brit thesedays!!

[Prenders88]

We did not price ourselves out of the mass car market.
We did not compete with the Japanese cars, that came with all the extras, and that started in the morning.
Churning out w@nkers like the Morris Marina, Austin Allegro, Austin Princess, in the 70's that nobody wanted, when we did start to get it right with the Rover 25's it was too late.
The ****** bought the factory for a song, the Government should have never allowed that to happen. Take pity on all those skilled workers are now flipping burgers, selling insurance in a call centre, or helping customers in a DIY superstore for the minimum wage.
But then what do expect from a ---- who taxed our pensions funds, and sold half our gold reserves at knockdown prices.