An interesting read

[first-things-first]

Originally Posted by mileshawk56

No easy answer to this, as a Nation we spent much money on two world wars and were being overtaken as a world power economy by Germany and the USA both prior and during this time..

Good point. Don't blame the Russians for everything. At least they are up front about their dislikes. Our good friend the USA wanted us bankrupt and leapt at the chance during WW2. Knock us off our pedestal. Of course we'll help you brother, just give us shed loads of cash for the material you want. And we being the upright citizen paid it off until the 1990's, IIRC.

Originally Posted by Darcydog

... I have always been surprised that Honda ever saw fit to trust a U.K. Government again.

Wonder why they are flipping off now. Elephantine memories?

Originally Posted by mss

... With my broadband, telephone and mobile services, am I buying these from BT - the only telecomms company that makes huge investments in UK jobs and infrastructure - or one of the foreign owned/invested companies whose profits and much quality employment go overseas. ...

Whilst BT do provide investment in the UK infrastructure, they also manage to truly p off very long standing customers with un-necessary billing for phones that you paid off many years ago. My father was being charged £16 a quarter for a jack diddly squat very basic phone service. Just like good old British Gas who will not move on their inflated prices.

If these companies treated long standing customers with respect (my father was with BT and British Gas for 50 years!), adjust their prices due to competition (or shock horror suggest moving to a better tariff ) and not like sheep who will blindly observe their patriotic duty to stay with them, they may not be hemorrhaging the numbers of customers they currently are.