Selling off the UK

[The Agrarian]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

 

[Pond digger]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

Indeed, it has been going on for a long time, and it’s an utter shame. The UK will never again be a great nation unless things change. Quick profit is the name of the game now, no long term commitment to building empires.

 

[The Agrarian]

Unless you're Chinese of course. We either sell directly to them, or to the US, who will in turn sell it on to them.

 

[Muck Spreader]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

Ruddy disgrace that Andrea Loathsome should allow a major UK defence contractor be sold off to a US asset stripper.
My SIL was saying her company have seen a big increase in helping US buyouts of undervalued UK businesses in the SME sector since the referendum. Good for her business bad for the future of the UK.

 

[ollie989898]

The NHS has been using private providers for decades. This is not a recent occurrence.

 

[Muck Spreader]

The NHS has been using private providers for decades. This is not a recent occurrence.

And in a great many cases they have been found to be poor.

 

[Roger Perry]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

So instead of complaining an overseas purchaser making a bid for this company, (and others) ask yourselves why does not a UK corp take it over.

As an English American I offer an opinion....................since WW2 but really from the sixties the powers that be have never been very supportive of manufacturing or industry in general in Britain, I guess being a nation with an empire it made sense to ship in whatever was needed.
When that all went away (the cash) the politicians of the day were unwilling/unable to encourage a dynamic industrial economy, opting instead for an economy based around financial and service industries............all good stuff but a wasted opportunity because Britains' brainpower was never fully exploited.............dumbing down the very ideas by taxation and regulation, so that anyone with the spirit to make things happen was encouraged almost to do it in a more business friendly country...........opportunity lost.

Maybe your current switcheroo out of Europe will give industry the kickstart it needs.......??

 

[Bongodog]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

The only surprise with Cobham is that it all went on so long, shareholders had seen their investment collapse to only 30% of what it once was, the group had expanded and diversified to the point that its UK operations were only a minority part and US defence work was far larger than UK defence. It is hard to argue that a takeover by a US firm should not be allowed due to national security, when the work for US security is far larger. It could be said that when management recommend the acceptance of such an offer, it is an admission that they are less capable of running the business than the bidding party.

 

[br jones]

Ruddy disgrace that Andrea Loathsome should allow a major UK defence contractor be sold off to a US asset stripper.
My SIL was saying her company have seen a big increase in helping US buyouts of undervalued UK businesses in the SME sector since the referendum. Good for her business bad for the future of the UK.

Shareholders approved the sale first

 

[M-J-G]

It's been going on for decades of course. But in a cynical move, last night at 10pm, after it thought everyone had gone home for Christmas, the government announced it's approval of the sale of Cobham to a US firm. Cue the sale of British agriculture and health...

Discuss.

Shame on you for being the kind of person that questions the establishment and being the type who reads between the lines, unlike the average sheep who just follows the crowd.
More people need to do the same.

Normally these kind of things are announced on the day of a terrorist attack or some other thing that creates "good day for bad news"
The government are good at taking advantage of these opportunities.

 

[The Agrarian]

Shame on you for being the kind of person that questions the establishment and being the type who reads between the lines, unlike the average sheep who just follows the crowd.
More people need to do the same.

Normally these kind of things are announced on the day of a terrorist attack or some other thing that creates "good day for bad news"
The government are good at taking advantage of these opportunities.

Mind you though, it's not that I think this is any more terrible than what has gone before. It's just a continuation. But new circumstances in trade may well open up possibilities that haven't been available for a number of decades. I'll happy to be proved wrong, but I expect that to be net negative for the UK, and very much so for farmers.

 

[ollie989898]

These defence contractor type companies are forever boom and bust because they are relying wholly on contracts with governments and if they don't get them it's rather serious.

The UK does innovate, it is a myth that we don't build or produce things here any longer- we design them instead. If you want volume manufacture then you get it outsourced abroad.

Can you imagine the grief a UK manufacturer must have operating these days? Have to have an carbon audit done, heat, power and insulation assessment, asbestos survey in older premises, restrictions on EU working time directive, noise, dust or smell complaints. Cripes, imagine being in say, plastics, having to pay through nose to dispose of everything. Any kind of waste generated, fudge you, pay me. HGV movements, operating licenses, employee health and safety regulations, drivers hours, does your crane and forklift have it's annual LOLER- the list goes on and on and on.

 

[M-J-G]

Mind you though, it's not that I think this is any more terrible than what has gone before. It's just a continuation. But new circumstances in trade may well open up possibilities that haven't been available for a number of decades. I'll happy to be proved wrong, but I expect that to be net negative for the UK, and very much so for farmers.

I hope you're wrong too, but I'd say you're more likely to be right.

 

[Roger Perry]

These defence contractor type companies are forever boom and bust because they are relying wholly on contracts with governments and if they don't get them it's rather serious.

The UK does innovate, it is a myth that we don't build or produce things here any longer- we design them instead. If you want volume manufacture then you get it outsourced abroad.

Can you imagine the grief a UK manufacturer must have operating these days? Have to have an carbon audit done, heat, power and insulation assessment, asbestos survey in older premises, restrictions on EU working time directive, noise, dust or smell complaints. Cripes, imagine being in say, plastics, having to pay through nose to dispose of everything. Any kind of waste generated, fudge you, pay me. HGV movements, operating licenses, employee health and safety regulations, drivers hours, does your crane and forklift have it's annual LOLER- the list goes on and on and on.

As you state, its' a tough go to be in business in UK.
Whats' it like to obtain funding for a start up in UK, is the banking system in sync with what it takes to get an idea off the ground...........the availability to obtain adequate credit is one of the reasons the U.S. has always been home for entrepreneurs'

 

[Danllan]

As you state, its' a tough go to be in business in UK.
Whats' it like to obtain funding for a start up in UK, is the banking system in sync with what it takes to get an idea off the ground...........the availability to obtain adequate credit is one of the reasons the U.S. has always been home for entrepreneurs'

I can't write from personal experience, but I know of several young fellows who have started businesses in the last few years, in England and here in Wales. Some got seed money from public bodies, all had help from banks, one - at least - had help from family. So money is fairly easy to get.

They can also get ongoing 'advice' from various organisations, publicly funded, who will mentor them and can offer contacts in their given field. My understanding is that this can be a bit hit and miss, such is life.

 

[Muck Spreader]

I can't write from personal experience, but I know of several young fellows who have started businesses in the last few years, in England and here in Wales. Some got seed money from public bodies, all had help from banks, one - at least - had help from family. So money is fairly easy to get.

They can also get ongoing 'advice' from various organisations, publicly funded, who will mentor them and can offer contacts in their given field. My understanding is that this can be a bit hit and miss, such is life.

From personal experience it's certainly easier and more flexible in the UK than France.

 

[Wellytrack]

Funny. This is what came to my mind when I read your thread title.

Gold: Gordon Brown's sale remains controversial 20 years on

Two decades after the UK chancellor sold huge gold reserves, people still can't decide if it was a good idea.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[The Agrarian]

Can still hear him declare from the despatch box, 'No - more - boom - and - bust.'. Yes, very good Gordon.

 

[Muck Spreader]

Funny. This is what came to my mind when I read your thread title.

Gold: Gordon Brown's sale remains controversial 20 years on

Two decades after the UK chancellor sold huge gold reserves, people still can't decide if it was a good idea.

www.bbc.co.uk

I guess they will be saying the same about Brexit 20 years on.

 

[Wellytrack]

I guess they will be saying the same about Brexit 20 years on.

Depends how well it will be sold I suppose. It’s all about those deals that are yet to manifest.