Don't fall into the trap of saying it was our own fault. By the time we were buying inports the boat had sailed, the Germans and Japanese factory owners had been investing in new plant for years, the Germans at least enjoyed higher wages and less hours than us. Birmingham had been the workshop of the world,engineering skill was in our DNA. It was the 7% who still own 84% of the wealth in this country who shat on us. Being born and brought up in Sutton Coldfield I would hear my friends fathers say to their sons "You'll start at the bottom and at lunch time we'll make you a Director" The first generation made it, the second consolidated it and the third wasted it because by then they thought it was their birthright. I know, I lived and worked with these people as they laid waste to British Industry and peoples lives.Your so right pipmk, when i worked for a Power Press repair firm in Birmingham we used to repair some of the power presses at Wilmot Breedon. Now we've got kids
leaving school who don't now HOW Cars, Washing Machines, Vacuum Cleaners and umpteen other appliances that were manufactured in Birmingham/ West Midlands.
I think we must blame ourselves for buying foreign imports as they were cheaper. Little realising we we putting our own manufacturing industry in jeopardy. Now all we've left them with is a degree in shelf stacking.