Why doesn't the UK car industry fight for its future?
The 40% collapse in UK new car demand was intense from 2016 whilst we stayed in the EU and grew worse with covid lockdowns. The UK car industry lobbied furiously for the UK to stay in the EU, claiming exit with tariff barriers would cut its output. The industry got its way with the conclusion of a tariff free Agreement on leaving. Meanwhile domestic demand plunged far more than anti Brexit forecasters thought car exports to the EU could fall with a so called hard Brexit.
Had we left on WTO terms and had the EU imposed a 10% tariff on imported cars from the UK, the Uk would have countered with a 10% tariff on imported EU cars to the UK. As we import so many, UK manufacturers would have been able to sell more to UK buyers whilst losing some continental market share.
What is odd is the industry has not lobbied strongly against the UK banning new ICE cars by 2030 nor against the penal Vehicle Excise taxes imposed on some vehicles. Why no voice, as these have done far more damage than any unlikely EU tariff would have done that caused so much concern?
It is also odd that the UK industry does not seek to sell more to UK customers. That should be the easiest tariff free market to serve, with lower transport costs and trade friction than exports to a variety of different EU countries using a range of languages and trading customs.
It is most unusual to watch a great industry accept that it must write off all its invested capital in the products it currently makes, and stop the development of ever better intellectual property for diesel and petrol cars. It is even stranger to hear them cover up the demand collapse and explain away bad figures by claiming it is all about microchips. Shouldn't we have a more honest debate about the costs and pace of change to an all electric car park? And shouldn't the industry listen to consumers who are making clear most are not ready to buy the electric product any time soon.
The answer is probably because they think the Government will not listen to them.
Let us face facts, the Government has raised high it's green flag policies on so called Global warming, it has cast the motor car as one of the big causes, and has passed legislation to ban the sale of any new ICE cars from 2030.
Motor manufacturers and their customers have been cast as demons who will wreck the World if nothing is done, even though modern cars cause the least pollution in motor manufacturing history.
Not a single political party in the UK has questioned these policies (although a few back bench politicians to their credit have)
You can only bang your head against a brick wall for so long before it starts to hurt, and then you realise you are wasting your time, so the manufacturers, perhaps reluctantly at first, have decided to go with the flow and comply as best they can with what is a poor alternative, (certainly in the short term) of battery power.
Meanwhile customers are so confused about what to buy next , what tax they will eventually pay, ULEZ areas, Parking fees, congestion charging areas, additional taxation on use etc, they sit and wait !
I see the big Tax revue that was taking place has now been scrapped by Hunt JR.
Once again ever moving goal posts, and ill thought out Government policies, made and calculated on the back a fag packet, and ignoring human nature, are the real cause, as they will be for many businesses which will go down the tubes in the next few months and years.
BA – agreed, and I too am also particularly aggrieved (to put it mildly) but not surprised that the Treasury's tax review has been scrapped by the current Chancellor – oddly, the very same Minister who ignored Operation Cygnus regarding the country's ability to cope with a pandemic.
I thought that Gordon Brown added a lot of new taxes, making tax break much easier for the people who could afford it and screwing the rest. Aren't there something like 1000 pages of tax rules? Would not simplified taxes would, surely increase the revenue at a desperate time of debt and unreal expectations?
Adding further tax regulations and rules and introducing countless new taxes is an addiction of governments/rulers (not just the British ones) going back centuries, and few individual politicians appear to be impervious to this very dangerous narcotic.
Another example of excessive government regulation creating a stranglehold on all sizes of businesses, and doing far more harm than good. We badly need to replace at the next general election (and council elections) the Luddites who managed to get themselves elected at the previous election.
James, there are plenty of councils like the one near me who have squandered rate payers money on their ideals £18m failed energy investment, their controversial borrow to invest controversial policy, £1.7bn in debt! Labour in power there 13 years, these councillors and clerks have a high-risk investment strategy without the skill, '{we have lost the equivalent of 60p in every £1 of funding}". This should be an easy council to take over, but the Tories don't appear to have a strategy and national politics will stop them making a headway at a time of waste. Because they are all the same, following the same rule book.
The British Tax Code is the longest in the world at 17,000 pages.
That's something the Pretendy-CONs should be absolutely ashamed of, but instead they seem to relish the opportunity to add even more to the complexity.
I am sure Mr. Redwood will correct me if I am wrong, but I recall him being interviewed a few years into the Cameron government. The interviewer stated that instead of simplifying tax (as promised! Huh!), the tax code had increased in just a few years (under Cameron/Osborne) from a notional 13,000 A4 pages to 18,000 A4 pages. Mr. Redwood did not disagree with the interviewer's assertion.
I read four years ago that the UK tax regulations run to 20,000 pages. One country's tax regulations were said to be 'only' 500 pp. Ours do seem like a job creation scheme for accountants/lawyers. (Were the relevant civil servants who made our regs. ever-longer also drawn from these same professions?)
graham1946
Talking of the pandemic, how insane is it that our so called government once again does not have the cojones to insist on Chinese visitors should have negative Covid tests and quarantine on arrival, despite the huge increase in China? This is a repeat of the first time around and the same people who messed up with that are intent on doing it again. Do they want another lockdown? The people won't have it and will just ignore it. This has to be done on purpose, nobody could be this stupid surely? They say it is 'under review' just like last time.
Graham, what is so difficult to insist on negative covid tests or quarantine once here at their expense. Test here at the airport if necessary, designate a airport hotel. It seems perhaps the world wants this to spread, now vaccines give better control, cutting lots of the elderly saves lots of money.
What's the point of many industries fighting for their survival when the ERG have destroyed their main market with their fixated, absolutist brexit?
Quite a few have simply given up, or have chosen to trade only with the European Union rather than the UK.
Try buying seafood e.g. crab in Cromer these days. The fishers now land it directly on the Mainland so as to be able to sell to their biggest customers, and who can blame them?
Reply Parliament approved a comprehensive FTA with the EU!
We may have an FTA in theory, but you know full well the EU uses other methods to hobble our exports to them, and even internal shipments to our own kinfolk in Northern Ireland, so the FTA is not really worth much and negotiated by whom? The Tories who never wanted Brexit in the first place and fought for years to overturn it.
Timeforaction
Mr Redwood, could you tell us what you think is the difference between trading as a member of the EU single market and trading with the EU under a FTA? I ask because you seem to think there is no difference
Reply The car industry always majored on tariffs which the UK avoided. Trading under WTO most favoured nation status works fine with the USA, our biggest single trade partner.
The main issue – but one of rather a lot – is proof of regulatory compliance, not the payment of tariffs.
E.g. the seafood fishers need to make sure that their customers – and the relevant authorities – are satisfied with freshness standards.
You know this though, don't you?
Yes, the Tory Parliament tends to approve Tory proposals.
You speak of the protectionist EU playing us up NHL
It is deliberate and obstructionist.
You know what they are doing.
PeterXi lots of claims and no proof
Bill it is NLH who is making claims that the EU stop UK exports on purpose even though there is supposed to be a FTA. The British government needs to get its act together this year and apply exactly the same restrictions on the EU imports, there are other markets we can buy replacements from until this is sorted out.
Troll EUBill resurfaces.
the ERG have destroyed their main market with their fixated, absolutist brexit?
At the risk of stating the obvious, the main market for 99% of companies is the UK. For the vast majority of them it is much more local than that.
Seems John, that NLH believes the EU aren't honouring that FTA? So what do we do to address that!
Brixham Fish Market seems to have figured out how to manage this NLH. They are turning over £40M a year and exporting 70% of what the locals catch on to European markets. Needed some investment in online tech but that seems to be paying off.
NLH
Had a couple of Crab Sandwiches when in Cromer during this summer, seemed like plenty of shops promoting and selling Cromer Crab at the time !
Very nice they were too !
You're at it again, lad. In the real world, people in Cromer seem to be enjoying crab these days. Here are some reviews from Tripadvisor (Venue names withheld as SJR may not permit advertising on this site!):
'Crab to start, steak for main. Reasonable prices too. Highly recommended.' NAME, Cromer, Dec. 2022.
'Wanting to make sure we had crab to eat when in Cromer we chose to visit The NAME cafe. We were not disappointed.' NAME, Cromer, Nov. 2022
'My crab and cheese toastie was fabulous, the best flavoured crab that I have had in many years.' The NAME Cafe, Nov. 2022
'The service was warm & friendly, had a fantastic local meal of dressed crab salad with Prawns.' NAME, Cromer, Oct. 2022
Sounds like you were a bit unlucky, NLH, if you couldn't find crab in Cromer.
We need a clean proper Brexit. Tories have failed to deliver.
Indeed the net zero religion is insane on all levels economic, practical & scientific. This even if you believe in the CO2 religion EV save non over keeping you old care, but nearly all MPs bar a handful have swallowed the lunacy.
Lifelogic,
You had a couple of posts amongst a handful early yesterday.
I quoted the last line in one of them. I then signalled agreement and noted my post on the same topic the previous day had been deleted. This was an issue which if it had occurred in the United States the American would have been protected by The First Amendment.
I looked back later and not only had my post been deleted from moderation but also your own comment which had been up for some time had been removed.
In the unlikely event this cryptic comment gets through moderation you will then know what happened to your post.
No 'swear words', 'hate speech' or 'allegations featured in either your words or mine.
Reply I did not want to get drawn into an individual case
I have been suffering from an appalling flu for over a week (the worst I have ever had (not Covid) still bad so had not even noticed but I did not think I had attached any individual. I cannot even remember now but clearly JR can do as he wishes too.
I have however lost 3KG so not all bad.
Perfect reply.
Reduce Corporation Tax. Increase the take instantly and encourage business to domicile here. Sorry the EU will not allow it nor Biden.
Our State Aid rules are also EU governed so we cannot 'aid' a U.K. only produced project.
The thread is denial and dissembling from everyone at Westminster.
I feel like I'm in the first episode of the 'star wars' movie fighting against the imperial forces for democracy
The Empire strikes back. I think the Force is too busy providing a lovely sea trip and 5 star hotel to provide any help.
oldwulf
@Berkshire Alan
What's the point.
Virtue signalling MPs (excluding our host) fall into line with the green lobby, in the hope they will gain more votes than they lose because the noisy, arrogant, self righteous green lobby is in command of the left wing MSM.
The BBC costs us all a lot more than we think.
Sir, in answer to your question "Shouldn't we have a more honest debate about the costs and pace of change.." the answer is, of course, yes.
"Not a single political party in the UK has questioned these policies" Total garbage. That may be true for the liblabcon, whose appeal is to muttonheads, however, if you bother to read political manifestos before voting you would find that for example the UK Independence Party do not advocate economic suicide based upon the anthropogenic global warming hoax.
Alan. – that's a really good answer to Sir John's question -why? It is a realisation that the stubbornness of the govt knows no boundaries, that it's so wrapped up in the Green Myth, no argument will deter it, and that if you get left behind, you may never catch up. So, you look around, and like all your competitors, you hold your nose and jump.
Good Morning, Sir John.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/28/tesla-owners-forced-wait-three-hour-queues-christmas-car-charging/
'Members of the 'Tesla Owners Club UK' took to Facebook to vent their frustration at the lengthy waits'
Some useful (and some entertaining) observations in the comments section.
And I believe Tesla have the better infrastructure.
oh dear, how upsetting.
The welsh government (taxpayer funded) new 36 bay charging station at Rhyl (UKs seconded largest) opened in November 2022 is hardly used …almost zero usage
Government doesn't understand that the rich & famous who can afford EVs have a home garage to charge their EV, while joe public with a UK average salary has to drive (on average) a 5 year old car valued at £5-8k …just look at what people are driving at your local supermarket, this government is so divorced from the people & democracy
I was interested to hear Warren East, CEO of Rolls Royce (not the car-maker!), on R5L on Tuesday morning. He mentioned how his company had fought against Brexit but then couldn't identify one substantial problem our exit had caused his company. (Problems with the import of chemicals weren't, to my mind, 'substantial'.) He seemed confident that the company could move up from 2500 installed big-fan engines to about 5000.
Back to cars: the Conservative government doesn't seem to care much about the industry, does it? The mandate on banning the sale of ICE cars needs to be ditched.
P.S. I'm disappointed that our left-wing Chancellor appears to have shelved a taxation review, thinking no-one would notice. We are over-taxed. Job One is to tackle 'fiscal drag'.
Perhaps the taxation review would also mean a spending review… and the Demons of Downing Street certainly don't want to take those questions..
Rolls Royce only survives because it takes protecting its leading intellectual property very seriously indeed. But even theirs is leaking abroad. As soon as enough has leaked to China and other places then UK jet engine production is doomed.
Shares have gone from 800p to ~ 80p over just a few years?
That 80p, in real terms, being more like 66p thank to all the money printing inflation by Sunak et Al.
Being the proud owner of a Chinese manufactured washing machine (a fact that was hidden until after it had been installed – what happened to origin marking?) I don't think I would want to fly in any plane with Chinese engines. It is always a reassurance to see 'Rolls Royce' on aero engines when flying.
I suspect the review would have told him things he prefers not to know. Rather like the Operation Cygnus Report did.
What is odd is the industry has not lobbied strongly against the UK banning new ICE cars by 2030
The decision to ban ICEV's has been made at World Government level, ie the UN, EU etc. Unelected and unaccountable organisations that create what at first appears benign treaties, sold on an illusion that have a sting in the tail somewhere in the small print.
The plan is to de-industrialise the West. Make its energy both intermittent and expensive, and so on.
We saw what happened when someone steps out of line and tries to reverse course.
You will own nothing, and will be happy. Whether you want to or not ! 😉
Inclined to agree. Governments aren't really in charge now. Which is why all this world governance needs to be smashed at national level. Exit as many harmful-to-the-nation treaties as possible. But that needs a strong government determined to do what's best for the United Kingdom. Hunt and Sunak aren't those, quite the reverse, sadly. Even Trump couldn't hang on such is the power of the world government – he was got rid of! It's a tough call, but surely, not impossible?
It seems impossible. On a national level even Sunak and Hunt were rejected, but still end up running the government by a coup. We don't stand a chance. Big money always talks.
be happy? I don't think so!
Spot On MarkB
Yes, you summarise the problem.
Our host has a battle – not merely uphill, rather almost vertical – to point out the realities involved.
When you have the EU hell bent on listening to and carrying out the orders of the WEF and our own government doing the same the csr industry has no choice than to go electric. The salesmen privately can see the folly of it all but have to sell cars so can't sit there and point out the downfall of buying one. If ministers actually opened their mind and eyes they would see the publics concern over this legislation. They don't care John. Why should they? It's not going to bother them. There are enough articles and public comments as in this diary to show you what we all think about this total farce and yet I don't see mps getting together and raising it in Parliament. Oh no. You can all rebel against anything to do with stopping illegal immigration but when it comes to something that will affect the lives of UK citizens you all keep quiet. If we wanted an EV we would buy one. As it is most of us can't afford one and many can't charge them due to where they live. This ridiculous legislation will be so detrimental to society in so many ways I can see civil unrest occurring. The whole fabric of our society will unravel with disastrous consequences.
You don't say what you mean by the 'UK car industry', Sir John. I'm not sure there is one anyway.
Traditionally British brands are now mostly foreign-owned, especially by Tata and BMW, not to mention the Chinese state motor company SAIC who own MG. Plus American and Japanese companies that assemble their cars in Britain.
So what you're really asking is why foreign owners don't do more to defend British car manufacture. Well, I'm sure there's a reason for that.
Gary Megson
Partly right Richard, but also there is no "UK car industry" because production and supply chains are pan-EU, no producers sticks to a single national market, they use expertise where they find it, and enjoy the benefits of frictionless free trade across the EU single market. Brexit means we are not part of that any longer, to our great cost. This also answers Mr Redwood's confused question about why UK producers don't sell more to Uk consumers – they can't, because of Brexit they've been shut out of the profitable pan-EU production and supply chains on which they used to rely. Brexit – lose, lose and keep on losing
Reply What silly nonsense. The UK can buy any components they need tariff free from EU countries. The issue is the models they design and build here. There is also nothing stopping them sourcing more components from the UK so they do not just put in screwdriver factories. You ignore the fact that most of the decline occurred 2016-19 whilst we were still full members of the single market.
Reply to Reply.
You are correct. Since the management disaster of Longbridge vehicle production in the UK has transformed itself. First with the adaption of IS9000 and its child QS9000. Second with the arrival of Japanese manufacturers and their management techniques. We still have Morgan and one major motor cycle manufacturer who grew out of Japanese technology. I know because I was instrumental in organising supply chains to the motor industry as an individual. I had sources all over the Far East and Europe. The principal criteria for their success in the UK was adherence to QS9000. I retired when they woke up to doing things for themselves, and UK suppliers adapted QS9000. After nearly two decades of a great life in Spain I am now back for family responsibilities and appalled at the politically misslead quality of life my country has been reduced to.
Perhaps we need Japanese manufacturing leaders in our NHS to sort it out. UK Management in these large organisations seem to struggle with management techniques. We seem to adopt technology late even though millions are spent on technology.
O dear! You still don't understand that there is more to trade than tariffs.
Peter Parsons
A decline from 2016-2019 should not be a surprise. However it was unrelated to the UK's membership of the single market at the time. Rather it was a consequence of the uncertainty around Brexit, when it would happen and what it would look like. Companies don't like uncertainty when choosing where to spend, and they were choosing to invest in locations where they had certainty I experienced the same while working in a completely different industry.
In 2016, the UK division of the company I was working for at the time was comfortably the #1 division in Europe by sales. By 2019, it had fallen to #3 behind Germany and France because many customers were shifting investment and spend away from the UK due to Brexit uncertainty, instead making that spend in locations where they knew what the trading environment was and would be. As one of my customers told me at the time: "London is legacy." The UK divisions went into a maintenance mode, with any new investment going to locations such as Frankfurt, Paris, Dublin etc.
reply The issue is not investment but consumer demand!
R2, Indeed, a different but very likely much more relevant way to look at the problem …
Not only are the public concerned about EVS but heat pumps too. Just how and where do you think a person on average wages is going to get the money from? Most homes are not suitable and people don't want to have to rip the guts out of them to modify them only to find their homes aren't warm and their bills are worse than now. It's just another area where the idiots in charge know sod all about things they are legislating on. What's worse and unforgivable is that they simply don't give a toss. Is it any wonder the British public are sick to death with the motley choice we have to choose from in an election. I see nothing to benefit society coming from your party or Labour that will improve my life. I see just dictatorship and impoverishment.
What's so surprising is the British electorate carry on voting for the same clueless shower.
Just shows you how ill informed voters are! Silly headlines like we saw prior to GEs appear to swing the sheep.
I don't think a few 'worse under them' will do it next time.
'You trusted them 3 times and look what you got' will clinch it.
There is no party I can support. For the last 20 years I vote for a candidate who has no chance.
The British electorate is as clueless as the MPs that they elect. For example, a friend of mine votes Tory, saying 'once a Tory, always a Tory'. I counter by pointing out that there are other parties apart from Lab/Lib.
Despair is my reaction.
It's only because the alternative (a Labour/SNP/Libdim coalition) would be far, far worse !
The Tory member voter initiates a vision on policy
The Tory non-member voter likes the policy
The Tory party promotes that policy at election
The Tory government & PM disregards that policy and does what it wants
F U S – Quite ! Expressed perfectly. Any governmental compulsion will I suspect only be for the few though. I could be wrong but best of luck with the EVs, chargers and heat pumps for those residents in all those old terraced houses and back to backs, of which there are still a great many; narrow streets and in some places I can think of often on an incline with already on street parking nose to tail. Our politicians need to get out more.
Have put off car replacement for a few years now & am not confident enough to by an EV & speaking with others, not alone. A recent journey mostly motorways was 8.5 hrs to travel 300 miles ( 9 hrs door to door with short stop ) 'Driving home for Christmas', ( a bad but necessary choice of day perhaps … ) and 'top to toe in tailbacks', is a major understatement. Would have been even more of a nervous wreck had I been in an EV.
Diana. I have to agree with you over travel. We did the usual friends and family visit a week before Christmas and a journey from Shropshire to Sussex which should take 4 hours took over 7 hours. Sitting in traffic jams in an EV could be an anxious time.
I am hard pressed to find a single area where our government has UK supportive policies.
Energy, environment/farming, fishing, immigration, taxation, defence, employment……
Will it only be a matter of time before there will only be assembly plants left?
I actually wonder if we will still allow Chinese travellers/students/competitors freedom to enter our Country at will, on any passenger aircraft that lands here, will they be tested on entry, have to complete isolation etc etc.?
Have we learn't anything from the lesson of only 2 years ago, I guess just a couple of days to find out, as the Chinese (who can afford it) fly outside of their own Covid infected Country, and into the big wide World for the first time in a couple of years.
In 2021, 32% (the majority) of the total number of international students in the UK come from China, meaning there are roughly 143,820 students from China in the UK. https://www.studying-in-uk.org/international-student-statistics-in-uk/
Yes, Alan, we'll find out if there'll be anything more to say re this very mild cold virus variant that half the country has already had and forgotten about.
Has anyone given a thought as to how owners of properties are going to sell their homes if those homes cannot accommodate the charging equipment needed to run an EV? No, thought not.
You mean the 2/3s of the UK properties that are flats and terrace houses
Yes Glen. It comes back to the basic problem of many not able to own a car if it's electric.
NO ! FUS as I have no interest in moving as there is nowhere better! My home will only be sold after I have " kicked the bucket" and I am cremated . The housing market is of no interest to me.
Whether its demolished or sold then will be irrelevant.
Lucky you MFD. There will be many it will affect.
The rich and famous can charge their EVs overnight in their own garage while everyone else will have to queue for 3+ hours every night at public charging stations …and that's if you can find one that works
I am thinking of selling my property in a few years time, and I am currently debating whether or not I should get a charging point fitted simply as a means to increase its value and saleability.
Never would have thought about such things BEFORE I bought it.
formula57
Is it really true that "…the Uk would have countered with a 10% tariff on imported EU cars to the UK"? Perhaps, even with this pusillanimous government.
Why then does the government not overturn the Evil Empire Commission's ruling that motor manufacturers can charge a substantial premium for the supposed burdens of offering vehicles with right hand drive? It objected pre-Brexit but of course was ignored: now it supinely allows this abuse to harm U.K. buyers and manufacturers alike. Can we have a government that is on our side please?
F57: my first thoughts were that the UK would NOT have imposed retaliatory tariffs. I suspect they would have welcomed more destruction of the UK economy for the benefit of the EU. They have NEVER retaliated over unfair EU practices that damage the UK, and by not doing so they encourage even more unfair practices to be imposed upon us.
Had the EU imposed a 10% tariff on imported cars from the UK, the UK would have countered with a 10% tariff on imported EU cars to the UK, and the result would have been that imported cars in the UK would have at a stroke cost 10% more. This would have harmed British consumers, and fuelled inflation. But that's Brexit for you in a nutshell – Brexit harms free trade, everyone is worse off and no one is better off
So, to take your comment to its logical conclusion, you should oppose an organisation which imposes tariffs on countries which are outside its Protectionist Little Club.
There is nothing free about the EU.
@ Donna – true, and made more so by the Evil Empire's new intended carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) that has been characterized as it abandoning free trade principles. There is no end to the harm it does, to itself, to its members and to others.
Donna, every single country in the whole wide world imposes tariffs on imports from other countries, excepting only where a free trade agreement is in place getting rid of tariffs. The EU is the best-in-class when it comes to getting rid of tariffs by this route
There is the biggest free trade zone in th world and some of the most democratic countries like th Nordic countries, so I cannot see what the remark about the Eu is about
Norway and Iceland are still outside the EU and will never join.
None of the Nordic countries joined the original EEC in 1957. Denmark joined when the UK did, 1973. Sweden and Finland came along later, fairly reluctantly I'd say.
Brexit only harms trade if you are trying to trade with those of malicious intent. Something the EU confirms on a daily basis, and the UK government bends to.
100% agree Sir ! Eu= Evil
Thank goodness we are out !
So 27 democratic countries joined something evil?
agricola,
The Eu wants the UK to succeed so they are able to sell more to us, so as an EU and British citizen i Must disagree with you , but Brexit is turning out to being very expensive for us, as the deal we negotiatited is no good
Can we have some proof please
Instead of being repetitive Billy why not present your views on here.
Give us your opinions.
Can we please have some examples
Why not give us some of your examples Billy?
You have some I presume?
PeterXi
You ask for things you never produce yourself
@Gary Megson – Its only inflationary for those hung up about EU produced cars, the UK is flooded with so many that are not. Even some famous EU brands come into the UK from outside this protectionist trading block
All manufacturing has given up on the UK. We impose the most expensive anti pollution, safety, power, public sector etc costs in the world, and we have made clear by our actions that we don't want to make things here rather we want to import goods from India and China and other places far less fussy about such rules. Our political class have tried to engineer a society which is purely based on services and finance and depends on imports for everything else. As COVID demonstrated we were simply unable to scale up and make the stuff here. Together with an expensive public sector which delivers poor quality if at all, and the four trillion ever expanding national debt… Then you can only conclude we are doomed. The few small exceptions being the most bespoke or High tech, but even there our best intellectual property is leaking abroad ever faster, destroying our ability to pay our way in the world. We are being destroyed slowly and systematically by our own political and ruling class.
The best we can do is educate our children and encourage them to move abroad. The UK will be a third world wasteland within a generation.
I find it difficult to argue with that.
There is a good deal of truth in that Iain. I wonder what we will do as the petrodollar fades and our FIAT currencies lose their appeal to Strangers (who might not be so kind in the future). What will we use to trade for the goods and commodities we need? Perhaps we will become a more up-to-date version of Cuba – with rich Chinese & Arab tourists coming to ride in our "antique" petrol cars – all frozen in time after 2030.
There's a vicious and relentless authoritarian ideology at work that is slowly but surely infecting all areas of our personal, public, politics and business environment. John knows what this is so I'm not sure quite sure why he continues to play dumb about it…
Eco-fascism is just one leg of this beast
The cancer that is (a large company Ed)and other so called social justice organisations are imposing themselves on our lives that I thought impossible. It's a sinister combo of politics, business and collectivsm….
I too wonder about the lack of outrage.
All MPs must have known about WEF etc when anyone mentioning such was accused of conspiracy theorising.
Mind you, having seen the strength of mind control and mass formation during the past few years..what good would a lone voice do?
"The silence of the lambs"…as in we will have no one left to speak up for us maybe?
All "captured"… like the car industry.
Ed, I have no problem with you avoiding libel , slander, and litigation arising from this diary ,providing when called for you stand up in the HOC and spell it out uninhibited by the law.
Agricola, that sounds right to me. Especially since SJR has already been very willing in the past to tell the government it got it wrong over the EU, and on more recent issues. The next big one is indeed eco-fascism. Gently nudging government ministers to think about how they might need to keep the lights on as they carry on towards Net Zero won't be enough.
To play dumb? Or being dumb about it?
After all he was quite close to the government who was so keen on engineering ´a society purely based on services and finance and depends on imports for everything else'. He might have had a Damascene conversion but how deep is it? Or is he playing to the gallery producing a little music somewhat different from that of the Government to convince his Wokingham electors they should still stick with him come next GE?
Reply I have never held the view you put wrongly as mine. I have always supported policies to permit manufacturing to flourish in the UK
Jim Whitehead
DOM, ++++++++
But it's ok everyone!!
The govt. has a future prediction (very long) study thing ( remember how good govt. is re divination).
"Automotive Road Map"
"Driving Us All Forward"
The industry must be hunky dory then.
AND it has investments of about £4 bn …all for electric of course!!
"2035 Delivery Plan"….driving us all to ruin!
I suggest it's because they know it would be a pointless exercise with the Net Zero Lunatics firmly in charge of policy and dreaming of their de-industrialised Utopia.
Donna :
As I said yesterday. Car manufacturers who sell within the UK, charge far too much for their products.
WEF directive?
Agreed. There is a terrible WEF group think going on in both politics and the civil service.
"The Circular Cars Initiative".
If Newcomen, Watt et al had spent all their time talking I doubt if we'd have the steam engine even now.
We will soon surely be left without any form transport or heating.
The UK car industry is simply going the way that Patrick Minford predicted UK manufacturing would go post-Brexit. (Down the tubes.)
Are those folks currently working in manufacturing ready to embrace becoming creative execs in ad agencies, search engine optimisers or whatever else Minford thinks is the future of employment in the UK?
Minford did not predict that! You must have had a very good liquid Christmas.
Really? In Minford's own words:
"Over time, if we left the EU, it seems likely that we would mostly eliminate manufacturing, leaving mainly industries such as design, marketing and hi-tech."
A decade ago, Minford was arguing that leaving the EU would require "running down the UK car manufacturing industry". In 2012, Minford told the Foreign Affairs Select Committee:
"It is perfectly true that if you remove protection of the sort that has been given particularly to the car industry and other manufacturing industries inside the protective wall, you will have a change in the situation facing that industry, and you are going to have to run it down.
It will be in your interests to do it, just as in the same way we ran down the coal and steel industries. These things happen as evolution takes place in your economy."
Everything in quotes are his words, not mine.
Yet post Brexit the automotive industry continues PP
Sales may be down post Covid but it isn't due to Brexit as Sir John explained.
UK car manufacturing output has dropped by more than half since 2016.
2016 – 1.7 million cars
2022 – 786,000 cars
Source: SMMT
Peter2, they need to open UK manufacturing up to the lower cost car producers like Kia, it is taking a long time for them to get their cars to us, there is a blockage somewhere in the system and it seems protectionist to me. We have given a couple of van companies too much control of our market with little competition it needs opening right up and preference given to someone assembling in the UK and making parts in the UK, maybe in regions in the North and Wales.
Yes I know PP
That was in Sir John's article.
And the various reasons for that reduction.
More fake news without any proof
PP – German car production 2016 was 5.75 million. One third imported to UK.
2022 was just over 3 million, less than 20% to UK..
You are right, I've checked. Personally I don't think Minford took into account the positive impact of releasing so much of our I di]us try from the EU Quotas that suppressed them, and only addressed the issue of opening ourselves up to global free trade. Anyway, he's rowing back a bit – he's now concluding with 'expansion of the whole sector' Here is what he said today:
'I did indeed say those things. It assumes that we do proceed to free trade with the non-EU world, which would imply big falls in protection for UK manufactures., implying more competition and some probable contraction of home output. But trade liberalisation is proceeding very slowly. Even with Japan we only agreed to zero car tariffs from 2026. We are supposedly going to join the general Asian trade agreement, but I am unsure how much this will lower tariffs on Asian manufactures, given the weakness of this government.
Another point is that manufacturing will raise productivity and 'move up the value chain', which can imply expansion of 'manufacturing'. But of course this is really a shift to different 'manufacturing'- often more like services such as assembly. Look at Dyson; he does all his R&D here but manufactures all over the place, where it is cheapest. I imagine the stuff he makes here is the latest high-value products. You could see a lot of that as protection falls eventually but it would still amount to a contraction in what is currently done here, even if the whole 'sector' expands.'
mickc
The answer is simple…because, like the Conservative party, it doesn't have a future.
Not listening to what your customers/ voters want ensures that.
The UK car industry probably lobbies as much as any other large industry, but it is talking to 650 MPs who are effectively aliens who worship Nett Zero. From the days when Parliament decreed that a motor car should have a man with a red flag walking in front of it to this day MPs have seen the car as a cash cow and year after year have legislated against it and maximised the tax take. All this while technically being clueless as to what it was at any given time. Run through MPs brains a sequal of feet , horse, what it could pull, railway, bicycle, motorbike, CAR. This last item being the greatest gift of personal mobility that man is likely to ever get. Damage the ckncept further at your peril. You in Parliament have done your damndest to screw as much money as you can out of it while ever more restricting its use. As an encore it is now reported that you intend buying future government needs from Audi rather than Jaguar/Rover. Sucking up to your EU friends yet again. When I intimated how useless UK government is yesterday, I did not expect confirmation today.
Agricola, +++++++++
I was 10 when I first rode in a motor car – our local GP gave Dad and myself a ride home one evening. It was an Austin 7 and Dad was very happy when he purchased the car from him the following year. Sundays were "days out" with the occasional stop (up long hills) for the engine to cool down. Sandwiches were prepared 'pre-drive' and Tea made en-route using a camping set carried in the boot. The Seaside was no longer an annual Charabanc ride.
These days I drive 120 years of Italian car evolution and (like my Dad) I am very lucky to be able to do so. Fortunately, I can usually afford to buy our Tea (and maybe a cake) "out" – so don't need to carry a camping stove around. But I do still have one (who knows when you might need it these days?) 🙂
I can't think of a car manufacturer that is owned by a British based company!
We lead in R & D and have a good selection of operating car plants but they are all part of much bigger foreign owned companies so we make what we are told to do.
Little or no constructive thought has been put into the change to electric transport and the transition will get stuck halfway across the bridge.
Yet another huge mistake by successive governments that is driving this country towards becoming a 'third-world' non-entity.
You are not looking at the people/ buyers themselves. We have less money. The excitement of buying a new car has worn off. Driving now is not enjoyable due to congestion. More people don't want flash and new, they want a sensible ride for travelling from a-b. Cars depreciate far too much in the first year. The new motors will be bought by companies for fleet sensible driving and the showy ones for showy up-front people who believe that a car gives them status. I have had a Jag, a Daimler ,a BMW, an Audi sports, a Landrover, an Austin Healey sprite , a mini clubman..etc.. so what! they all got me going to where I wanted to go .
I've driven two cars (from new) over the past 20 years – one for 12 years, the last for 7 years. I was undecided whether to keep the 7-year old car, as it was running well but trade-in values were very good in January.
I finally ordered a new petrol-engined car, which arrived in June. Not only do I have a very nice car but nothing that has happened since has convinced me that I've made a mistake. My preferred 'make' will only be offering hybrid and EVs going forward but with a price tag to match. Looked after, this car will probably outlast me (or at least my 'driving' days) and according to my calculations, it won't cost me any more (in toto) than an EV.
Want to be "Green" ? Buy, Maintain and Keep a car for a long time. It's low carbon and less expensive. You won't have to worry about what it's worth after year one and by year twelve – you won't care.
Margaret Brandreth Jones
The cars mentioned here were in the 70's and 80's where young people were encouraged to spend spend spend and my ex husband did.
Shouldn't we have a more honest debate about the costs and pace of change to an all electric car park?
HMG and those pushing the insane green agenda are not interested in honesty, nor debate – they don't care about all the issues relating to switching over to electric vehicles before the technology is suitable. They are not going to consider anything that deviates from their dogmatic agenda.
As for the motor industry not wishing to benefit from the decades of innovation on petrol/diesel engineering, or not even asking for government help – is HMG planning to give them a big payout or otherwise subsidize their decline?
The motor industry is a big user of energy – a small or non-existent one would surely fit in with the green agenda?
O/T – but I'm alarmed that hordes of Chinese air-travellers will soon be coming here, without any form of health screening. There's a disaster in the making.
Why would we screen their health Sea_Warrior? Surely you dont still believe the flu scam!
What would you use to test it with? That test that the deceased inventor said was not for the use it was being used for and results that could not be trusted!
feels like Feb/March 2020 all over again.
Sir John
As always on message with the majority.
There appears to be two things in play, the Government along with its establishment rulers are desperate to hang on to the EU coat tails regardless of the damage it does to the citizens of the UK, its Industry, its economy.
The other being is that Government keeps giving credence to the conspiracy that is the World Economic Forum(WEF), the are following the dictates handed down to them with out question and without authority of the UK Electorate.
First duty of Government is surely the safety, security and resilience of its people – what we have here is total disconnect and contempt
Directors want to be seen as being woke rather than profitable.
Don't just blame the car industry the Conservative Government put wokeness before the people. Tories are a party of low police prosecutions (1.2M unsolved thefts), high taxes (highest in 70 years), marxist social policies (equity), green energy policies (NetZero) and open borders (Mass immigration).
I say this absolutely Seriously. Twenty years ago the communist party was further to the right on most policies than the Conservatives today.
The attitude of the U.K. Motor Industry, much of which is not British of course, is reminiscent of the attitude of the oil industry in the USA when candidate Biden announced during a pre-election debate 'that he was going to close down the oil industry'. I remember his opponent Trump saying 'Are you listening Texas, Arkansas …'
All of this inexplicable behaviour becomes rational only when you consider what these corporate entities (salaried of course not the owners with capital invested) could have been promised. 'Every car on earth will be scrapped so you will have huge demand' and maybe worse.
It's time for homegrown British car enthusiasts to design a wide range of distinctive, British, clean, cheap&chic, combustion engine powered cars. With our own fuel being available in quantity and cheaply, they could sweep the world – again!
I have reached the age when I would love something like a little triumph sunbeam. Scoot to the local shops, fun trip to The Lakes, room for a husband a 2 well-behaved Keeshonds. No much to ask really from a country that has achieved such great heights.
But we need to be shot of the corporate mindset!
Hope you all enjoyed Christmas and will take it easy at Hogmanay! Happy New Year to all contributors and of course to you Sir John. Thank you for your diligence and true care for the British people. We appreciate it. We also appreciate engaging in our traditional method of identifying and worrying problems to flush out the best solution. That of course is lively debate.
The UK car lobby group the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) have long been in cahoots with the EU / WEF, they represent the global car manufacturers and 'not' the UK supply chain companies …SMMT don't lobby for the sector they follow government instruction i.e the new subsidy money
I'm amused that the MsM was carrying items about the 'Government' not installing more charging point for EV's. We are in short supply of the basics – electricity.
The initial thoughts on that comes from the bosses of Toyota(one of the Worlds dominant producers) thye think the pursuit of EV's is madness, the resources of power and its storage(batteries) cannot be met on a World Wide scale. It a move people to public transport policy, keeping personal transport for the super rich and WEF members only.
Then again Government supplying? Government never supplied the Petrol Pumps. The Government never subsidised ICU Vehicles. Government policy is vindictive, discriminant and anti-inclusion (Some call that WOKE), they gather money from those that can't afford something to subsidies the life style of those that can.
So I guess the penny has dropped that there will be no car industry left in the UK given our inability to build battery plants.
We will all be driving cheap imported Chinese made EV's that the European manufacturers cannot compete with.
I can tell the government has given up on helping when you start blaming the victims.
In cricketing terms successive governments batting can only play the backward defensive, and when bowling pitch it just right for a forward swing over the boundary.
If only we had Stokes and Buttler running the country.
The problem will be that we won't be able to afford those "cheap imported Chinese made EVs" JohnE.
If the BRICs move away from the Dollar (and FIAT currencies) to more commodity (trade) based forms of exchange, what will we have to give them? The countries that make stuff, drill for it or dig it out of the ground will have 'real' things to trade with, not just printed Monopoly Money or Green Stamp coupons. I wonder how far we have to fall before we wake up to the fact that we actually have to pay our way in the world.
I will never drive or ride in an EV.
Does not it all go back to parliament and the total lack off real life experiences and education in the critical areas for a nation to be successful?
Where are the people with the knowledge of the basic hydraulic principles of:-
Power Generation and Supply.
Infrastructure and maintaining utility networks.
Statistical Process Control.
Right First Time.
Logistical planning and Networks.
There are a lot more and all are the basic foundation on how things work and their advantages and limitations.
When people have an awareness and understanding it is much easier to understand problems but also when you are being fed male cow poo when the blame game kicks off.
The old saying is so true. Never try and kid a kidder. Same when you are dealing with someone with the basic knowledge and understanding.
And in related news we read that the Windfall Tax on North Sea companies has already resulted in cancellations of investment, VAT rules are reducing the attraction of U.K. shopping for visitors and aggressive NI/tax rises are hitting the self employed, an engine of U.K. growth, hard.
Can this government be any more incompetent?
If prospective investors are warned 'make a profit and we'll tax it' they run for the hills.
Funny that – who would have thought it?
British governments have displayed a very high level of competence since 1990 doing exactly as directed by certain members of the World Economic Forum.
That's why Britain is becoming a Banana Republic.
Not if its intention is to bring the country to its kness and blame it all on BREXIT and that we need to realign ourselves closer with the EU.
Yesterday I caught an item attributed to you in the Express (being them you don't know if it old or new) In a nutshell you like most of your commentators here identify the lack integrity of those that spend the Taxpayer's money. The taxpayers hard earned pounds that are paid with a lot of personal sacrifices in their lives and because there is no choice not to. All so Government and their Establishment collogues prefer to support Industries that pay taxes in other domains – that attitude is the attitude of diminishing returns.
What do the do when the taxpayer no longer is able to earn because the Government and Pals exported all the jobs
Britain needs to "reindustrialise" and bolster its manufacturing capability.
This nonsense of importing cars that are produced by burning coal when the UK Government bans the same in the UK, illustrates the Governments view of the UK.
Taxpayer money for UK taxpaying jobs
Fedupsoutherner:
I don't think this situation will arise. EVs will become very expensive and through battery shortages may even be rationed. More important will be the distance from a bus route.
The collapse of the UK Auto Industry is Government Policy. Not an elected manifesto promise but a signed up to deal with the WEF – the plebs must go by public transport. Us(the Establishment) the more esteem rulers of the UK will get the taxpayers to fund our life style and travel at leisure on roads free of congestion.
After 12 years, we keep getting more confirmation of the anti-UK Party being in Government.
It is not that myself and the majority of the UK that is anti-Conservative and its anti-UK Government per se, its juts that we see daily this 'Shower' is so incompetent, anti the People of the UK, so much so they treats the People of this Country as the enemy, they have lost all sense of reason and purpose.
I can only speak for myself, I ensure I do my bit to support the UK economy so get exasperated when our Government goes out of its way to do the opposite.
The car industry is an international affair today and the UK interest is minimal in the decisions made by foreign ownership .
Could it be because they see no future for manufacturing in the UK with our unilateral Net Zero designed to de-industrialise and make the country much poorer with meagre supplies of expensive and intermittent energy?
They may even believe that EVs are so expensive and impractical that sales volumes will be very small?
PS : It would be an interesting discussion to ask why the UK Parliament doesn't want to fight for the UK's future.
A few years ago there was a 'keeping up with the Jones" clamour for the latest year plate on the car outside.
Now it seems to me that the rarity of new year plates has switched the balance back towards people keeping their car and abandoning the chase. Even the EVs are a fad and are restricted to those who can plug it in at home and don't do journeys of 100 miles each way. So, why do we want a UK car manufacturing? They were assembling parts from far and wide anyway, and the media pick up on every issue affecting production.
Most 5 year old cars will do another 10 years so owners can sit out this Government self inflicited dilemma.
Sit tight and wait for a possible reality check coming.
There will be no beneficial change while government and all manner of bodies are believers in or otherwise slaves to the dangerous global climate change ideology being imposed on us.
Normal economic arguments don't work against it. The ideology must be challenged and strongly resisted. Even our language and word meanings are being hijacked and perverted in the climate change cause.
The 2030 ICE ban must be scrapped, or we will scrap you.
There is no UK car industry.
NOT REALLY A CHANGE OF SUBJECT
The Rail Unions are taking the piss, with different Unions striking or working to rule on different days. Yet the rail industry is losing money hand over fist, with Network Rail, the organisation with whom RMT wish to negotiate, at the heart of the losses. The Government must act on behalf of taxpayers (because nobody else will) and put a stop to the losses.
First step: BRING BACK THE LOCK OUT
Shut the railways down for a month so that railway workers get no income at all. See how they like it.
Second step: SYSTEMATIC ACTION TO ELIMINATE THE LOSSES PERMANENTLY
(1) Instruct Network Rail to raise track access charges to at least cover their costs
(2) Eliminate loss making rail services (zero subsidy)
(3) Shut down loss making branch lines (selling off track and maybe land)
Rail Unions to negotiate within the constraint of the need to make profits.
The rail industry simply isn't entitled to be a basket case.
And give the car industry the right to look after its own interests.
If we're worried about global warning, it's time to penalise China, America and others for burning raw coal.
Why are our councils not buying uk cars why are the police especially in London buying BMW and other EU cars we don't support our own business across the board the government does not support UK Businesses just Burdens them with taxes making their products expensive
A question does anyone read these emails
We are sending
Pauline Baxter
Yes Sir John, it is very puzzling indeed that the u.k. car industry does not fight for it's future.
Some can be blamed on the stupid net zero policies. Perhaps some is to do with microchip shortages. Maybe some is the the high excise duties. These were discussed yesterday.
I can only think that the 'bosses' of this industry believe they can make more money by transferring their 'investment funds' into some other 'enterprise'. ('Renewables'?)
Since going 100% E.V. by 2030 is so obviously impossible, I am afraid you will have to accept that something underhand is going on here.
In general I am pig-sick of the strikes that have plagued us at the end of this year.
However, I think I would like the workers in this industry to call an all out strike, demanding to know just what is going on here.
I said yesterday 'someone must give this industry a kick up the backside'.
Michael Cawood
I live in Wrexham, NE Wales and in the spring & summer I like to got to Barmouth for a day on the beach. The round trip is about 140 miles and there are no charging points between here and Barmouth nor are there any in Barmouth, so if I went there for the day I would be totally stuck on the way back when the car ran out of power. I have recently bought a Ford Puma which runs on petrol, OK it has an auxiliary electric booster set, however it will still do at least 400 miles on a tankful.
Alan Paul Joyce
Dear Mr. Redwood,
It is certainly not unusual to see our largely useless political class (with notable exceptions) planning to foist electrically-powered transport (and heating) on us all, requiring several times as much electricity to meet demand and then fail to provide or even plan for the requisite increase in electricity generation capacity. They also seem to have great difficulty in understanding that when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, power generation from these renewable sources plummets and fossil-fuel back-up generation is vital until a quantum-leap in electricity storage arrives.
One is tempted to accept that there may well be some truth in the WEF 'conspiracy' theories that circulate in the way that this dilatory government approaches matters of national self-interest.
There are no WEF "conspiracy theories", it's all true!
I'll second that
@glen cullen – and again
Alan Paul Joyce :
They're disciples of Greta Thunberg, who said at the London South Bank Centre 30/10/2022:
"We are never going back to normal again [after the pandemic] because normal was already a crisis. What we refer to as "normal" is an extreme system built on exploitation of people and planet. It is a system defined by colonialism, imperialism, oppression and genocide by the so-called global North to accumulate wealth that still shapes our current world order"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ropBOwPvmLM&t=1513s
This explains the obvious unscientific illogicality of Net Zero as it has absolutely nothing to do with CO2/CAGW.
It is strange, especially since it's reported that the German manufacturers are miles behind in EV tech and are still pushing the notion that new fuels (and eco-friendly ways of producing them) can make ICE cars viable again.
We don't hear much from them in this country though.
I've often wondered if the objective is to make motoring something that the great unwashed cannot do. An "all electric car park" has its own problems, but the problem for many people is that their living accommodation has nowhere to park that's anywhere close to a charging facility (blocks of flats for example). And leaving a charging flap open invites vandalism.
People moan when fuel prices mean that motoring is too expensive, how will they react when their only option is an EV but they couldn't charge one (even if they could afford to buy one)? Perhaps the great and good think that members of the proletariat will simply accept this and use public transport.
With an ever-rising population… good luck with that. The social tensions are already showing in this country – will we keep on until we have civil unrest?
BMW and Audi and VW are seriously into EVs. Every advert I see from these manufacturers is for their EV offerings. Come to think of it, every car advert these days is for an EV.
@Mike Wilson – but their manufacturing process is reliant on fossil fuels from their own(the manufacturers) powers stations. With all the battery tech such as it is coming from China. About as Green as it gets
We are witnessing the economic and cultural suicide of the West. Propaganda via the media and prosecution in the courts are used to vilify what we once held dear, with legislation ensuring that prosecutions will be successful. Car manufacturers have been sued for billions and understand that resisting diktat only invites more mega fines and jail for senior executives. So Atlas shrugged.
Why doesn't the UK car industry fight for its future. Well being largely German, Indian, and Japanese perhaps it sees its future and its destiny controlled outside the UK. In reality the UK is a customer, yes with assembly plants and UK component manufacturers but it does not control the direction it might be going in. Were I in a boardroom in Japan I would find the direction that Nett Zero under Boris was forcing the industry in illogical and technically naive. It was not responding to the market. Technical developement in the competition industry would remain of interest whereas the large scale assembly plants would remain as such. There are developements outside the UK that make much more sense than the ill informed dictats that fell out of Downing Street, and began the decline of the UK industry. So in answer, its means of fighting are in reality out of its hands, an army with few or any weapons. Boris buggered it.
@ChrisS. That was the Boris Johnson master plan. Importing causes less World pollution under his idiolagy
What is happening to the car industry in the UK is being repeated all over Europe.
Prices have been forced up by ever-tighter regulation and the requirement to add even more safety kit that costs a lot. That is about to get even worse if the EU is allowed to introduce its ridiculously constraining Cat 7 standard for cars. We will, of course, follow suit. Why ?
Already the majority of JLR production that was in the UK has been exported to Europe : The EU subsidised Slovakia sufficiently for them to pay for a brand new JLR factory where the new Defender and Discover are built. That directly cost 3,000 jobs in the Midlands.
Jaguar is to be an all-electric brand from 2025 which will reduce demand for their cars dramatically here in the UK because the price will be beyond the reach of most drivers and they won't have the range most buyers would want. I can see Jaguar being reduced to one sports car (if that) and the only other model will be a badge-engineered version of the Range Rover.
We have already lost Honda ( not because of Brexit, please note,) and BMW are transferring all Mini EV models to China. That means that no British-made Mini will be on sale here after 2030.
@ChrisS. +1. You could even say it was the UK Government that used taxpayer money to ensure JLR left the UK, loss of UK jobs and tax inflow. Now they need to make up the tax loss
@ChrisS – The Boris Johnson master plan in action, cripple the UK by removing all forms of industrialisation from the Country, the race like hell to demonstrate green credentials as being the message to the people. When the people are broke they have no need for consumer goods. Remembering the BJ Government as with all Governments in the UK is a collective, they all own the out comes and the majority are still sitting their carrying on the message
The UK will be first across the line while all other Countries protect their economies and ensure they have a future.
You attribute this to Boris Johnson? – didn't you mean Carrie?
Cannot believe the online headlines that the British Government will wait till the 5th January to even discuss the situation regarding flights from China?
It seems ministers are in total disagreement with each other (as usual)
Did they not learn nothing from.tje first Covid disaster. Two left feet out of step with reality, disgraceful should resign en masses.
@Iain gill – yes, but they did run diversity and inclusion screening to ensure he wasn't white or male
I enjoyed this Whatsapp sent to me:-
'Ramsgate annual Boxing Day swim in the sea. 195 went in, but when counting, 847 came out!'
much is being made of 'word of the year'.
I can't choose between … farcical, shambles, incompetent, dishonesty, doomed, revolutionary, unashamedly, corrupt, falsehood….the more I think about it the more words tumble out!
2022 – word of the year, I like your choices, can't see much revolution though, its more a coup than a revolution.
Adjective would be my suggestion. Thanks to our financial overlords.
Verb: We've been To pursue your own agenda at the cost of everyone else.
10% pay inflation coming in April, hold on to your hat 🎩.
Noun: Depression
I see a member of the border force has been arrested for being an illegal immigrant. What a broken joke country we are.
Iain, there are quite serious fines for firms hiring ineligible workers.
Just how many illegals has this guard allowed through one wonders.
Which HR people hired this person without checks, does anyone ever get removed, demoted or even disciplined in the civil service when they seriously screw up, not just over not offering someone a sweet in the office when asking two other colleagues it seems diversity trumps legitimacy.
I've been to the Jaguar showroom twice in the last year. Nobody was remotely interested in selling me a car. I'm not sure what has happened to workers in this country but they just don't seem to be bothered about customer service anymore.
@Christine – its simple, they cant get the parts so cant produce cars, so nothing to sell
Snap Christine, we looked at Jaguar for replacement to Mercedes and BMW, their sales people aren't interested in new sales at all. Didn't even return our calls.
https://www.aceable.com/blog/countries-that-drive-on-the-left-side-of-the-road/
One third on the world drives on the left. Wouldn't it make more sense for the UK to join in the production of left hand drive cars with the larger of these nations. It is quite sad that a little island like Japan led the car revolution. But now it is being stopped by the electric car revolution perhaps that is the big plan – https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-24/electric-car-revolution-crushes-japan-s-struggling-small-towns
Time for Japan to connect with India and the UK to sort this out.
We ordered a car, the lease company is having problems getting hold of it, they have offered us three alternative German replacements, seems like a fix up to me.