Sold Out Britain

Mar 14, 2005
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Just watched a program on BBC 4 regarding Rover cars. It has made me think of all the British industry which has been sold off to foreign hands over the past few years. They mentioned the Tata 100 which became the Rover Citycar. Tata now owns Corus Steel and Tetley Tea as well as the input to the now demised Rover. The only reverse trend is the buy back of Aston Martin by the British although this is only possible with the help of Indian financial backing. What major industry is now still British owned 100%?
 
G

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There are a number of issues which are relevant to the question, without really answering what has been requested.

What is a British Company these days? Is it a Company based in Britain, or one that has the majority of its business interests in Britain, or even one that is registered on the UK stock exchange. I only make the points because the situation is not clear. Nissan builds cars in the north east and exports them back to Japan. The biggest owners of the US in Company terms are the Brits, although they 'hide' behind American names. Rolls Royce makes the 'worlds best cars' but is not British owned, but all manufacturing is done in the UK.

In a global economy national interests become very blurred. What I think is important is the effect that any business has on the way of life for the UK population, if it is beneficial then regardless of national identity, it should be welcomed. My daughetr works for ASDA and considers herself working for a 'British' Company, but as we all know ASDA is part of Walmart. Her salary is in Pounds, her pension is British ruled, her working conditions are British controlled, so where does that leave her, and all the others when considering what is, or is not British?

Conversely, British Airways is probably considered as being a totally Britsh Company. But without its revenues from working the global market, it would not survive, and in many countries where it does business it effects affiliation with local issues in order to be accepted. It has no choice.

Therefore without any disrespect to the question regarding 'Britishness' I suspect we have moved well beyond where that is even a question that is relevant to many of us. Like others I mourn the demise of the Empire, but it has gone and all we can do as individuals is take pride in our country of birth regardless of where, or to whom we gain our employment. The main export from these isles over generations has been people of value, and that is the one thing we can all be proud of, and should ensure is continued, regardless of the machinations of Blair and his cohorts.
 
G

Guest

There are a number of issues which are relevant to the question, without really answering what has been requested.

What is a British Company these days? Is it a Company based in Britain, or one that has the majority of its business interests in Britain, or even one that is registered on the UK stock exchange. I only make the points because the situation is not clear. Nissan builds cars in the north east and exports them back to Japan. The biggest owners of the US in Company terms are the Brits, although they 'hide' behind American names. Rolls Royce makes the 'worlds best cars' but is not British owned, but all manufacturing is done in the UK.

In a global economy national interests become very blurred. What I think is important is the effect that any business has on the way of life for the UK population, if it is beneficial then regardless of national identity, it should be welcomed. My daughetr works for ASDA and considers herself working for a 'British' Company, but as we all know ASDA is part of Walmart. Her salary is in Pounds, her pension is British ruled, her working conditions are British controlled, so where does that leave her, and all the others when considering what is, or is not British?

Conversely, British Airways is probably considered as being a totally Britsh Company. But without its revenues from working the global market, it would not survive, and in many countries where it does business it effects affiliation with local issues in order to be accepted. It has no choice.

Therefore without any disrespect to the question regarding 'Britishness' I suspect we have moved well beyond where that is even a question that is relevant to many of us. Like others I mourn the demise of the Empire, but it has gone and all we can do as individuals is take pride in our country of birth regardless of where, or to whom we gain our employment. The main export from these isles over generations has been people of value, and that is the one thing we can all be proud of, and should ensure is continued, regardless of the machinations of Blair and his cohorts.
 
G

Guest

There are a number of issues which are relevant to the question, without really answering what has been requested.

What is a British Company these days? Is it a Company based in Britain, or one that has the majority of its business interests in Britain, or even one that is registered on the UK stock exchange. I only make the points because the situation is not clear. Nissan builds cars in the north east and exports them back to Japan. The biggest owners of the US in Company terms are the Brits, although they 'hide' behind American names. Rolls Royce makes the 'worlds best cars' but is not British owned, but all manufacturing is done in the UK.

In a global economy national interests become very blurred. What I think is important is the effect that any business has on the way of life for the UK population, if it is beneficial then regardless of national identity, it should be welcomed. My daughetr works for ASDA and considers herself working for a 'British' Company, but as we all know ASDA is part of Walmart. Her salary is in Pounds, her pension is British ruled, her working conditions are British controlled, so where does that leave her, and all the others when considering what is, or is not British?

Conversely, British Airways is probably considered as being a totally Britsh Company. But without its revenues from working the global market, it would not survive, and in many countries where it does business it effects affiliation with local issues in order to be accepted. It has no choice.

Therefore without any disrespect to the question regarding 'Britishness' I suspect we have moved well beyond where that is even a question that is relevant to many of us. Like others I mourn the demise of the Empire, but it has gone and all we can do as individuals is take pride in our country of birth regardless of where, or to whom we gain our employment. The main export from these isles over generations has been people of value, and that is the one thing we can all be proud of, and should ensure is continued, regardless of the machinations of Blair and his cohorts.
Sorry the postb was duplicated without my apporval.

Is it me or is the system working really .... slo.w.ly
 
Mar 14, 2005
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My interpretation of a "British company" is a company that is owned purely by British management/directors etc. There might be foreign investors holding shares in that company but should they sell their shares it does not necessary mean that the company will close. Fair enough we have many companies in Britain which offer excellent products but are not British owned. As quoted Rolls Royce is German owned, Asda is American owned, etc. Likewise Nissan cars in the north of England have an excellent all round record for quality and work relations. Why couldn't our car companies be run in a similar manner. Red Robbo killed of BL in the 1970s and the other companies suffered similar industrial unrest at the same time. Now they are foreign owned there are no problems of industrial dispute.

At one time this country led the world with British products and technology from British owned companies. What has happened to it? Don't tell me that business is now global - if this is the case why not go the whole hog and have a United World and one monetary unit to globally satisfy all peoples. This would never happen because each country wants to out perform each other. China recently had financial problems and almost caused a world economic collapse. The western world investments took a serious hammering and have not yet fully recovered.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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1
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There are a number of issues which are relevant to the question, without really answering what has been requested.

What is a British Company these days? Is it a Company based in Britain, or one that has the majority of its business interests in Britain, or even one that is registered on the UK stock exchange. I only make the points because the situation is not clear. Nissan builds cars in the north east and exports them back to Japan. The biggest owners of the US in Company terms are the Brits, although they 'hide' behind American names. Rolls Royce makes the 'worlds best cars' but is not British owned, but all manufacturing is done in the UK.

In a global economy national interests become very blurred. What I think is important is the effect that any business has on the way of life for the UK population, if it is beneficial then regardless of national identity, it should be welcomed. My daughetr works for ASDA and considers herself working for a 'British' Company, but as we all know ASDA is part of Walmart. Her salary is in Pounds, her pension is British ruled, her working conditions are British controlled, so where does that leave her, and all the others when considering what is, or is not British?

Conversely, British Airways is probably considered as being a totally Britsh Company. But without its revenues from working the global market, it would not survive, and in many countries where it does business it effects affiliation with local issues in order to be accepted. It has no choice.

Therefore without any disrespect to the question regarding 'Britishness' I suspect we have moved well beyond where that is even a question that is relevant to many of us. Like others I mourn the demise of the Empire, but it has gone and all we can do as individuals is take pride in our country of birth regardless of where, or to whom we gain our employment. The main export from these isles over generations has been people of value, and that is the one thing we can all be proud of, and should ensure is continued, regardless of the machinations of Blair and his cohorts.
Double posting just to reinforce your comments.
 
G

Guest

You are being slightly unfair to the Brits. We do still have world leaders in technology and in many other industries as well, it is just that they don't always wave a Union Jack and have tea and biscuits at 3 pm. For instance the main source of technology for the global oil industry is not Houston anymore, it is Aberdeen, yet the North Sea is declining. An example of where an industry recognised that the local market would not be around for ever, so it expanded outwith 'selling' brains and expertise.

I am not disputing that in some areas we have allowed ourselves to be dumbed down, but having worked international for many years I can truly state that the Brit is alive and well, and kicking b..t all over the world. This in turn brings either money directly back to the UK, or at the very least brings a recognition of what the people of these islands can do. I also accept that the biggest destroyer of pride in this nation has been Blair and the last 10 years, and many of the citizens have come to believe it is true. Whether we can ever make Britain itself a 'green and pleasant land' again is not clear, but as a nation we can defintely hold our heads up high in the world, and maybe, as in the Victorian days, we will export those ideals to other lands and create a piece of Britain there. I am not being fanciful, I have seen it happen in many places. There are more Caledonian Societies in the world than one can count. Does that mean we should all leave? That is an individual choice, and certainly there is migration both within the UK for reasons of work and personal choice, and for pastures new overseas.

As long as we believe in ourselves, and not what the politicians tell us, then we will do well.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Scotch Lad - your last sentence sums it all up - we must start to believe in ourselves once more and put the Great back into Great Britain. Remember the 1960 "I'm backing Britain" campaign. This is what is now needed again. As you say the majority are believing the politicians and for this I think they are burying their heads in the sand and hoping that someone else will make it better for us. I have now retired and I shudder to think what this country will be like for my grand children without the old bulldog fight in us coming out once more.
 
G

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Colin, I fully agree with all you say, and obviously feel. However, as they say at the seaside, you cannot stop the tide. Like you I neither see why, or even desire to leave my country of birth, but if that is the only way to ensure that what I believe in will survive, then that is what I will do. As my wife has told me frequently over the years, home is where your 'bits and pieces' are, and as I have no older relatives left, then I as the senior member of my family can do what I like, without real concern for others. My kids have their own lives and we enjoy all meetings where ever they may occur. I am not into the 'Sunday at parents' idea so if we meet at home, or somewhere abroad I am just as happy.

Some may view that as deserting the ship, well, yes up to a point. I will fight hard to protect what is around me, but if I see little success, then I will move on.

I could quote Mohammed Ali or Cassius Clay as he was originally known when he went to find his roots. His comment? Thank goodness my ancestors caught the boat'. Stated in jest, but with a degree of truth.
 

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