observer Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Seems Jeremy wants to keep the Trident subs and missiles; but without the nuclear warheads ! Perhaps the missiles could be loaded with rose petals ?! But it indicates the true nature of our arms industry and the Trade Unions; it's all about jobs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 I think also a problem is that the nuclear industry is keeping parts of Scotland & Cumbria alive ,there is very little industry apart from that. I believe that Tata steel have announced 1300 job loss in what is left of the British steel industry with 750 at Port Talbot alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 Perhaps we will have to rely on cheap, State subsidised Chinese steel to build the subs ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 A little paper sticker on the keel Obs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Chinese steel is sold at the world price. If they tried to sell it at a higher price no-one would buy it. It's called a "market". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Again Asp, "market" forces, supply and demand: with a slow down of the Chinese and world economy generally, demand has reduced thus reducing the world market price to levels that make production unviable. However, the Chinese are prepared to retain their world market share by undercutting the rest and selling at a loss, subsidised by the State. Unfortunately, EU rules prevent us from likewise subsidising our steel industry, even if it's regarded as a strategic necessity. One has to contrast this to the public rescue of the banks after the crash, something that may be happening again. The "market" runs on greed, and has no social conscience or National affinities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 The "market" runs on reality. If you really want to you can cut yourself off from the rest of the world and produce all the subsidised steel you want - but not for long. You can moan all you like about the greed of the market, but it won't change reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 "not for long" - well, let's hope so, cos the Chinese are doing it; and will do it until the competition collapses and they're last man standing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I once watched a BBC programme where the presenter said that ,with hindsight,the British economy was in the hands of fate as soon as the first effects of industrial revolution were felt by the world.I suppose that is correct considering that every invention in whatever context is labour saving & the only reason we have economies is to feed the masses. If economies falter then so does the means of providing for the population without having to resort to a welfare system. The manufacturing world is exhausting itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 First cheap human labour, next cheaper robotics. However, production still requires consumption in order for the whole thing to work; so I guess some re-thinking of our economic systems will be required; which suggests money needs to find it's way to the majority in order to keep spending and maintaining demand, so that the whole merry go round keeps turning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 In Northern Ireland Bombardier have announced 1000 job losses to come ,one reason being cited as the country is too expensive for their profits....no doubt they will be looking towards a country with cheaper labour for their next venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Syria?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Syria?! There's no men left to do any work....except a few hundred thousand blokes with machine guns and 50 million women and children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 But it would provide a good excuse for sending all those young men back from Europe ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 But it would provide a good excuse for sending all those young men back from Europe ! Anyone who thinks that those who are in Europe already are going to be flooding back to their countries of origin are certainly very deluded. At best we can expect them to invoke their rights to a family life under European law and then that will allow the rest of their extended family to join them over in Europe. Why would they want to go back to a country that has been practically destroyed by just about every airforce on the planet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I was joking Baz ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 I could imagine the next big economic area will be the countries on the eastern fringes of Europe which have lower standards of living & income. I would expect this to be championed by Europe's wealthier countries to protect their own borders & economies from economic migrants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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