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SideValve · 14th May 2019, 18:49

Its certainly no good hoping some British entrepreneur will come along and fix things. I gave a talk a while back on the history of Ariel motorcycles and one of the key factors in the early years was the introduction of new finance acts that allowed entrepreneurs to start up companies, fail and start again and that's exactly what they did time after time decade after decade.
We nationalised so much of our industry for a good reason, we knew we needed it and we knew we couldn't rely on it continuing in private hands. Then, over the past 40+ years we decided we didn't want to spend our taxes investing in our industries, we'd rather either subsidise private business if the industry was vital or just flog it off if it wasn't. Its decisions we've made and we can blame our competitors all we like but we voted for it time and time again. Even when the sales weren't in the manifestos (anyone remember them saying "vote for us and we'll sell the National Grid"?) we knew what was going on and didn't protest. Even now, in the upcoming European elections the majority will vote on Brexit lines ignoring that the MEPs will have a say in what happens to Europe's industries and our industries for as long as we're still in (could be months, could be years, no one knows) and I've not heard a single word from anyone about any sort of industrial plan, or where they stand on the stuff normally considered important. Even more madly having more Liberal or more Brexit Party or more Labour or Conservative or Change UK or whatever MEPs wont help get whatever deal get through our parliament. The MEPs don't get to vote on it!
Incidentally, I'm not saying nationalisation is the only answer. Part of the reason France & Germany have held on to more of their industry is the way their business financing is arranged. Our banking finance is very expensive and our stock market financing is ridiculously short-term. The fact that Cameron spent year after year stressing how important foreign investment is to us is a damning judgement on how unfit for purpose our banking system now is. Anyone heard of any of the parties planning to change this?

Final bit before I stop ranting for the evening. How about the Govt buy up an old plant and produce a People's Car? A cheap EV aimed at commuters? Utilitarian but cheap to lease and cheap to run. A sort of modern day Morris Minor, Beetle or Trabant. I'm in

14th May 2019, 18:49	#64
SideValve Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oxford Posts: 767 Thanks: 141 Thanked 204 Times in 141 Posts	Its certainly no good hoping some British entrepreneur will come along and fix things. I gave a talk a while back on the history of Ariel motorcycles and one of the key factors in the early years was the introduction of new finance acts that allowed entrepreneurs to start up companies, fail and start again and that's exactly what they did time after time decade after decade. We nationalised so much of our industry for a good reason, we knew we needed it and we knew we couldn't rely on it continuing in private hands. Then, over the past 40+ years we decided we didn't want to spend our taxes investing in our industries, we'd rather either subsidise private business if the industry was vital or just flog it off if it wasn't. Its decisions we've made and we can blame our competitors all we like but we voted for it time and time again. Even when the sales weren't in the manifestos (anyone remember them saying "vote for us and we'll sell the National Grid"?) we knew what was going on and didn't protest. Even now, in the upcoming European elections the majority will vote on Brexit lines ignoring that the MEPs will have a say in what happens to Europe's industries and our industries for as long as we're still in (could be months, could be years, no one knows) and I've not heard a single word from anyone about any sort of industrial plan, or where they stand on the stuff normally considered important. Even more madly having more Liberal or more Brexit Party or more Labour or Conservative or Change UK or whatever MEPs wont help get whatever deal get through our parliament. The MEPs don't get to vote on it! Incidentally, I'm not saying nationalisation is the only answer. Part of the reason France & Germany have held on to more of their industry is the way their business financing is arranged. Our banking finance is very expensive and our stock market financing is ridiculously short-term. The fact that Cameron spent year after year stressing how important foreign investment is to us is a damning judgement on how unfit for purpose our banking system now is. Anyone heard of any of the parties planning to change this? Final bit before I stop ranting for the evening. How about the Govt buy up an old plant and produce a People's Car? A cheap EV aimed at commuters? Utilitarian but cheap to lease and cheap to run. A sort of modern day Morris Minor, Beetle or Trabant. I'm in __________________ The Story So Far: Austin A35, Morris Oxford, Triumph Herald, Mini 850, Mini 1000, Austin Allegro, MG Midget, MGB GT, Rover SD1 2600, Austin Maxi, Rover 200, Rover 825, Rover 800, Bedford TK, Range Rover 3.9 efi, Rover 400, Rover 100, MGF, Rover 25, Rover 75 1.8, Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2.0 V6, MGF 1.8i, Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.0 V6 Auto, Morris Eight Series E, Morris Minor 1275.