High Inflation.

The reason that the UK are no longer making as much as we did is that manufacturing of mass market things is now a process that can be automated or can be done by relatively unskilled people, so the wages that people earn are not attractive enough, Unfortunately there are are countries in the world where lower wages are acceptable. Not as many as there used to be, of course.

What we need to have is high skilled manufacturing - biomedical things, satellites, etc; manufacturing where the output is maybe smaller in number but larger in price and complexity.

In "my" city there are many software/games companies; they make shedloads of money and employ shedloads of people. Sometimes, literally sheds

watersedgedundee.co.uk/

Sorry, I missed a bit. Lack of investment in our manufacturing industries meant that other countries such as Germany were able to create productive manufacturing sites for things like trains, etc, while we can't any more.

And when we do, we're just too slow

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

The Derby locomotive works are owned by French multinational, Alstom. Rolls Royce is owned by BMW. What that means is that both companies are vulnerable to any difficulties the parent companies might be experiencing, just as steel works were.

volver

The reason that the UK are no longer making as much as we did is that manufacturing of mass market things is now a process that can be automated or can be done by relatively unskilled people, so the wages that people earn are not attractive enough, Unfortunately there are are countries in the world where lower wages are acceptable. Not as many as there used to be, of course.

What we need to have is high skilled manufacturing - biomedical things, satellites, etc; manufacturing where the output is maybe smaller in number but larger in price and complexity.

In "my" city there are many software/games companies; they make shedloads of money and employ shedloads of people. Sometimes, literally sheds

watersedgedundee.co.uk/

Same in Cambridge. There's virtually no manufacturing, but the bio-tech and software companies make a fortune.

Sorry, should have written "there's virtually no heavy industry".

growstuff

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

The Derby locomotive works are owned by French multinational, Alstom. Rolls Royce is owned by BMW. What that means is that both companies are vulnerable to any difficulties the parent companies might be experiencing, just as steel works were.

I know. However, the picture you’re painting is bleaker than the reality growstuff. The ownership of UK companies by foreign companies where manufacturing and innovation remains in the UK signals that we do still have the expertise to compete on the world stage. You do always seem to be imbued with pessimism about the UK. I agree that there’s a lot wrong, but to imply we don’t have the capability to compete is just not true.

My daughter works for a British global company, a family owned business since 1930s. Another global British manufacturer in the Midlands is JCB.

Besides hospitality, another industry that struggles to fill its vacancy is engineering.
I work in the public sector, ours is an aging workforce. The department just advertised 60 new jobs but it will struggle to fill these posts because the private sector pays much more. Not many women work in engineering.

All those people who went to universities and could not get a graduate job and end up working in the service sector like pubs, restaurants and supermarkets, what a waste of talent!

After A levels, instead of going to universities, they should have done a one year course to get a HNC the qualification you need to get into engineering without incurring massive student debts.

DH is an engineer. He has a couple of university degrees. He's no spring chicken ?. The days of an HNC being all you need to get into engineering are long gone.

Yep, my daughter in law is an engineer. She has a degree, and is mentor for new graduates who join her department. In her area of expertise only the best graduates are accepted.

HNCs still cost between about £4,000 - £6,000, depending on subject and institution. I guess it depends what level of engineering you're talking about.

Casdon

growstuff

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

The Derby locomotive works are owned by French multinational, Alstom. Rolls Royce is owned by BMW. What that means is that both companies are vulnerable to any difficulties the parent companies might be experiencing, just as steel works were.

I know. However, the picture you’re painting is bleaker than the reality growstuff. The ownership of UK companies by foreign companies where manufacturing and innovation remains in the UK signals that we do still have the expertise to compete on the world stage. You do always seem to be imbued with pessimism about the UK. I agree that there’s a lot wrong, but to imply we don’t have the capability to compete is just not true.

What's your evidence that I'm imbued with pessimism about the UK?

I know that we have the expertise to compete on the world stage, but not if we continue to live in the past.

The UK has world class universities, scientists and researchers, so the government needs to sort out their funding.

Jane43

MaizieD much as I despise this government the £150 isn’t a loan, it is for council tax payers in Bands A to D but I believe those exempt from council tax won’t get it. The £200 to come later in the year will be a loan to be repaid over several years and most people don’t want it.

Whatever you believe, the truth is that those who are billed but get Council Tax Support will get the £150. That will be those on certain benefits. They are not "exempt". We don't know when and they may have to supply bank details to get it paid directly into their account, otherwise, it may be a cheque.

You must be aware that your post could frighten vulnerable people. It's quite easy to check the facts.

Earlier today, on another thread, OldDryad flagged up an article some might like to read. bylinetimes.com/2020/08/28/boris-johnson-the-anti-prime-minister/

I read it as showing Johnson as someone who loves pushing everything to the extreme - government is like an extreme sport where he sees how far he can go without being hurt. Someone who does things for the thrills he gets with little thought for others. He doesn't want to "do" being PM, he just wants to be seen being PM. I can't believe he will do anything to help those on low incomes. God knows what the outcome will be.

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

We know that hydrogen can power vehicles and trains the problem is producing green hydrogen and a distribution system. Electric trains are very efficient how is hydrogen better?.

France, Italy and Germany all have a much better manufacturing base than the UK- they make cars, ships, agricultural machinery, washing machines etc owned by their own companies , many of which are supported by their respective government. France and Italy have high end textiles and fashion houses , the U.K. have some but not on the same scale. Yes, we had the skills, but Thatcher killed the home grown manufacturing businesses all off.

Back to inflation - interest rate rises mean a huge rise in mortgage payments for thousands of people.

vegansrock

Back to inflation - interest rate rises mean a huge rise in mortgage payments for thousands of people.

Many mortgages are now done on a fixed rate
Some will be coming to an end and it would be very prudent to fix again
Mortgage rates are still not that historically high

I just got critisized for saying I could remember interest rates of 15%. I can! Thought we would have to sell our house. The person who had a go at me said "there's always one who harks back to another year". I apologised for my whole generation and told him to go away and get lost.

Gossamerbeynon1945

I just got critisized for saying I could remember interest rates of 15%. I can! Thought we would have to sell our house. The person who had a go at me said "there's always one who harks back to another year". I apologised for my whole generation and told him to go away and get lost.

I think younger people get a bit fed up with the elderly telling them how hard things were for them, when the said elderly got so much more in the form of state welfare than they will ever get.

I suppose that said generation is some of us our first mortgage in 1980. Rates were at 15%
Can't remember getting much state welfare

when the said elderly got so much more in the form of state welfare than they will ever get in what form please?

Oh, Child Allowance, was that it?

I used to dash straight from the PO to the supermarket - at least it paid for food.