MarkD

OK, but the brits weren't alone. The volkswagon beetle was superb and given a choice between practically anything or a beetle you'd go for the beetle every time! Ironically the bits dismissed it at the end of the second World War, not up to much, it went on to sell 52 million units and be the most successful car in the world. But then of course the Toyota corolla came along. Point being we had the ability to build good cars, and improve going forward. But as you say we didn't, and it ended in disaster. Piss poor management coupled with a workforce who preferred to spend their time huddled around a brazier at the factory gates handed car manufacturing to the Germans, and of course the Japanese. The cars you speak of weren't great by any stretch of the imagination, but surprisingly many are still around. The roads were full of datsuns in the 70's you'd be hard pressed to find one today though, christ did they rust!!!!

This would seem to suggest a hung parliament with the lib dems holding the balance (again). Might not be such a bad thing.

Tactical voting? I think there's going to be a lot of that. Problem is it may lead to a labour government! At the moment I'm thinking any half descent candidate (neither Conservative or labour), or just give it a miss. As Billy Conelly said "voting for them only encourages them!"

I read a couple of days ago that Travis Perkins is set to lay staff off. So, builders merchants supplying even fewer materials in the middle of a housing crisis...............Make of that what you will.

I disagree. Those who allowed them to do it should be in prison. Truth is the main offenders will probably get knighthoods!

Just stop and think about what you’re saying. You’d put a little cross in the box marked Labour candidate? Now cast your eyes around the newly formed government. What a shit show. Think it can’t get any worse? I beg to differ.

Beggers belief doesn't it. All of a sudden the councils are business tycoons!!!!! Just empty the fakin bins, not that difficult!

Can't have grammar schools, they're elitist, ban em. Comprehensive are the way forward. This of course from a labour government. Idiots! You now have people scrimping and saving to get their kids a private school education in order to avoid the comprehensives. Then there's the postcode lottery. A house in a good school catchment is worth paying a bit more for. Likely to be a bidding war as and when it comes on the market. What I don't understand is why they won't admit the comprehensive system is a failure. They try and raise the game with ofsted reports, but who's falling for that nonsense?

Perfect! Sums up the uk situation very well.

Oh yes! I used to be a civil servant many moons ago. They used to promote on the basis of how well you did your present job. The system ensured you ultimately promoted into a job you couldn't handle! The civil service is thus full of incompetent people! Good pension though.

Just for fun.........

Ridiculous! It's the cowboys, their the ones!

'The people who ARE good managers don't get into the top jobs, and the people who are bad managers do instead' This I agree with. Seen it again and again. Right now you have to have a degree. No degree no chance. Meanwhile the guy who owns and runs the range can't read or write. He built the business from scratch (used to have a market stall), he's now a billionair!

This does seem to be the case. There's something about brits that makes them incapable. Covid lead by Boris Johnson was a good example which is why they are now having an enquiry into why they made such a mess of it. Cheltenham Gold Cup. Easy decision, NO. But what happened, they let it go ahead. Front page of the newspapers, everyone and their dog could see it was a no, but off they went. Super spreader event and I think it ended up in 11 deaths. In my experience the more incompetent you are the higher you go! Boris and his 'team' demonstrated this admirably!

I think everyone must be thinking that today, he's on thin ice.

Here's the result of the 70's labour government. Enjoy.

When I was 19 and nearing the end of my apprenticeship Thatcher said something like “manufacturing has had its day, we have to move on”. I can remember thinking, well that’s me stuffed then! I finished my apprenticeship and went on the dole for a year. She decimated manufacturing, but again, by the time she got to power the damage had already been done. The choices back then were stark. By 1979 Labour and the unions had bought the country to its knees. (Starmer’s often on his knees which is a bit ironic really!) In the 70’s the managers of the likes of British leyland spent 50% of their time dealing with industrial disputes, the Germans in the meantime got their heads down, and guess what? Our roads are full of BMW’s, Audi’s and Mercedes. Ever wondered why that is? British cars of the era were crap. Crap because no one gave a toss, and yet we were capable, very capable. Have a look at Concorde, commercial disaster yes, but what a piece of kit. About the only thing the U.K. can make now is a cup of overpriced coffee, a far cry from where we were.

It was labour who capped the numbers of doctors and nurses trained, and thus doctors and nurses now come from overseas. Meanwhile home grown bugger off to Australia! Why they did that ill never know, but let's face it what goes on in the heads of these people.

For labour to get into power voters would have to put a little cross against the labour candidate. Can't see that happening!

Takes 20-30 seconds to steal one apparently, and yes we've been here before. What are the manufacturers thinking? They've made their cars untouchable. Second hand range rovers are now buy one, get one free!!!

They’ll be going all out to prevent him forming a government that’s for sure. This could be the beginning of the end for the EU. All it wants is for the Netherlands to ‘nexit’, a few more ‘far right’ ‘populist party’ votes, and off we go. This is getting interesting!

That they did, but by the 80’s manufacturing was rock bottom. The unions ruled the roost in the 70’s whilst the then Labour government cowered in the corner! Had Labour gotten a hold of the situation in the 70’s the country may have stood a chance, but they didn’t. It ended up in an all out pitch battle between the government and the miners. All very sad, all very unavoidable, but the Labour Party allowed the unions to call the tune, and of course ultimately the Iron Lady decided to call time. That’s why whoever’s in power I vote for the opposition!

"A fools paradise" hmm where have I heard that before🤔

Agreed. I finished my apprenticeship in heavy engineering in 1982. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! Spent a year on the dole before getting a job with the civil service which was then privatised! The stats for what happened to manufacturing back then were eye watering. The U.K. basically lost 50% of its manufacturing ability in the early 80’s. A lot of people never worked again. Whilst unemployment is the often quoted figure, it never tied up with employment, which appears to have flatlined. The late 70’s / early80’s were the years in which the U.K. changed forever, gone were the days of steady jobs and work for all. Thatcher’s dream was to move away from manufacturing toward a services industry. Trouble is such a model has no foundation and can collapse overnight. coincidentally the factory where I did my apprentiship is now a housing estate!

They don’t play to lose, it’s not in their nature. Labour may be left holding the baby, personally I doubt it. Labour are unelectable. A minority tory government I reckon. For Sir Kier Starmer, (the UK’s next prime minister) see Neil kinnock.