In the future will Britain export anything very much special ?

[LobbyLudd]

The Morris Minor was a Nuffield Exports Division Company resounding success as something typically special, then as a British produced well designed durable item of the post ww2 era, being exported to many other countries both assembled and to those selected countries in crated knocked down form in large numbers for subsequent re assembly.
Also the likes of ICI that had made and patented hundreds of innovative products is typical of a many other major British owned exporting industries that have long since faded into the past. (Dunlop Tyres being just one other example from many more well known names)

Britain in the past has been a country that has invented and produced some special inventions and ideas of their day,
Just to list just a few useful items that are now in the vast majority manufactured and supplied by many other countries :-
Steam Locomotives and Railways 1802
Float Glass 1959
Lawnmower 1827
Light Bulb 1880
Chocolate Bar 1847
Electric Telegraph 1837
Pneumatic Tyre 1887
Modern Fire Extinguisher 1818
Road Cats Eyes 1933
Carbon Fibre 1963
Collapsible Baby Buggy 1965
World Wide Web 1989
Reflecting Telescope 1668
Steam Turbine 1884
Telephone 1876
Military Tank 1914
Marine Chronometer 1761
Jet Engine 1937
Modern Torpedo 1866
Stainless Steel 1913
Glider 1804
Agricultural Seed Drill 1701
Tension Spoke Wheel 1808
Bessemer Steel Making Process 1856
Textile Spinning Frame 1768
Electric Motor 1821
Photograghy 1835
Hydraulic Press 1795
Sewage System 1865
Electronic Programmable Computer 1943
Hovercraft 1953
Tin Can 1810
ATM Cash Dispenser 1967
Electric Vacuum Cleaner 1901
Disc Brakes 1902
Vaccines 1796

Now it seems we have all those many container ships bringing anything and everything from the far east and from other countries into Britain. I believe we at least export today a lot of our rubbish back in the other direction for re-cycling

What might we regularly be exporting in the future that other countries will actually want from Britain after Brexit and should we be as optimistic for the future again as we had been in that era when Britain was exporting all those Morris Minors ??

[firedrake1942]

We could export the voters and cretinous moronic politicians who have landed us in this crisis. Where to is a different matter.

[philthehill]

It was not a question of being optimistic back then when Morris Minors and the majority of other UK makes of cars were being exported in large numbers - it was a question of necessity to get the country back on its feet after the 2nd world war.
Back then exports had preference over the home market.

In a parliamentary democracy as we have (even though it may not be perfect that is what we have) we may not get the politicians we want but that is democracy in action. Perhaps we may even get the politicians we deserve.

[firedrake1942]

Indeed Phil 'Export or Die' in the immediate post war period. That was the success story of Morris Motors and others, but we failed to capitalise on it. Getting a new minor in the immediate aftermath of 1948 was a near impossibility.

As for politicians. They are , as everywhere, self selecting, as well as self serving, we get little choice in who is foisted upon us, either as a party candidate for a constituency or in who gets what job in government .... still it's worse across the pond !

[SteveClem]

Quite right Phil,and I can't see how we can compete in the mass manufacturing market these days whilst labour costs are still very low in the usual places.
Suppose we need to export knowledge and skills.
And I can't agree with your cynicism,Firedrake. Politicians get a bad press,of course, but in my experience they are mostly hard working and underpaid. I wouldn't do their job for all the tea in China! And that is irrespective of party allegiance.

[firedrake1942]

Each to his / her own. I have close experience of local and national politicians and it is not cynicism but as a direct result of that experience that informs my views by which I stand. Short term thinking, self interested, party and dogma driven.

[Nickol]

I would tend to agree with Steveclem- we need in Europe the diversity of opinion that politicians and others give. It is becoming very clear from other parts of the world where autocratic governments exist or attemt to exist that the pluralcy of most european Democracies, despite their seeming chaos is something worth keeping and a shining light in the dismal view of world politics.
Whilst not wishing to re-open the Brexit debate, it is also clear that a difficult time, economically speaking lies ahead as industries small and large in GB adjust to the new post EU Membership playing rules. It is also clear that despite the running down of large manufacturing industries that the GB especially is very adapt at adjusting to the economic reality.

Also I would ask, are exports really the criteria to measure economic prosperity? In Germany, a world Player when it Comes to exports, many communities and large towns are bankrupt - the classic example being Essen home of Several large industrial giants including Krupp ( now Thyssen-Krupp) . Whilst it is probably very beneficial to have an Export Surplus, most countries in the world, including the USA have quite thriving economies without such a Surplus.

In short - don't worry too much about it.

[les]

I suppose we all judge things on our personal experiences to some degree, and then when one hears of another persons experience that differs, it becomes clear that generalising doesn't work. Based on the evil mankind can display I tend to think that the human race is a species of a dubious nature but when it comes to it, I know there are some incredibly caring and thoughtful people in the world. Can be quite frustrating at times, just when you form a view something often comes along to dispel it!

[LobbyLudd]

It was not a question of being optimistic back then when Morris Minors and the majority of other UK makes of cars were being exported in large numbers - it was a question of necessity to get the country back on its feet after the 2nd world war.
Back then exports had preference over the home market.

In a parliamentary democracy as we have (even though it may not be perfect that is what we have) we may not get the politicians we want but that is democracy in action. Perhaps we may even get the politicians we deserve.

Yes I remember clearly the publicity slogan at the time as a young child into the start of the 1950,s , i.e. the posters said 'Export Or Die' and that could not be more serious as a statement.
But I personally experienced all around me a regular feeling of 'Cheerful Optimism' (Having been born just after the end of WW2) The country was truly on its uppers . My Dad, having returned at the end of the war from active service he and every one of his freinds I met (definately for me) had a real optimism for the future of the country at that time and Mum also projected a real belief in the future of the country in spite of the austerity hardships with continuation of rationing etc.
There was real optimism at the Festival of Britain having been excited to be taken by Britain's (post war worn out railway) by steam train to London for the day. There was also optimism when a new young Queen Elizabeth had her Coronation and some kind (obviously better off) neighbor was happy to invite anyone in to share the scene on a tiny television screen that hopefully we may one day have a set of our own in the future. There was even an added pride in the country at the same time of the coronation when Edmund Hillary planted the Union Jack on the top of Everest. It was things like these that made me think of the general 'Optimsm ' I experienced during that era in direct comparison to the country today.
Hopefully we will be handing over something worthwhile for our Grand Children to be optimistic about ?

[irmscher]

Lord Nuffield got it right type in on YouTube Lord Nuffield -sound sorry cant do links maybe someone can help

[kennatt]

we will be when we are free of the UCJ control of our laws..................................exporting illegal imigrants.

[firedrake1942]

It does not have control of our laws. It was established to ensure the rule of law across Europe on common basis.It has had immense benefits for ordinary working people, upholding my and your rights. Much misreporting of its decisions by the right wing gutter press in the UK. And before you start on the ECHR . British lawyers effectively wrote it post war for the same reasons. We enshrined it in domestic law through act of domestic parliament.

The Border Force and domestic immigration service deport many illegal immigrants. If they had not been cut to the bone, fewer would get through and more would be deported!

But then who would clean your hospitals, offices and shopping malls or wash your cars for a pittance ?

Try for once thinking why these people , yes PEOPLE! want to come here and what they endure on the way, as well as what they have left behind. Many of my forebears came here fleeing starvation, political and religious oppression and latterly fascism. This country is immeasurably richer, culturally economically and happily more diverse because of them and their like.

[les]

Maybe people come here because they hold a different opinion of the 'system' that one of your posts convey.

[firedrake1942]

Les you are absolutely right about the caring and humane, but there is also ignorance and evil, usually arising from the fear of change and what is different. Most voluntary migrants I have had contact with are fully aware that our streets are no longer paved with Gold, if they ever were, and that they will have no entitlements for themselves or their families. They come because they know if they work hard in low paid jobs there are still better prospects for their descendants than in many of the places they come from. These places have, in many cases still not clawed their way out of the mess that was long-term, state instituted communism resulting in poverty and unemployment.


The migrants who are nit voluntary are usually inexperienced and naive and exploited by their own countrymen and ours for greed profit and sexual gratification. It is our citizens who make use of the brothels they are coerced into working in, or buy the vegetables and fruit and seafood picked by those who are virtual slaves of gang-masters and landowners.

That is where the evil lies. there and in those lazily complicit with the systems so that they are perpetuated ls long as we don't have to think about them as people and human beings, no different from ourselves.

[myoldjalopy]

This country has been wrecked beyond recognition socially, environmentally and culturally. It all started towards the end of the 60's and Thatcher and then Blair, in particular, are responsible. What we may have gained is trivial in comparison with what we have lost. We have sacrificed charm for ugliness, common sense for dogma and cohesion for chaos................

[TDV102]

We do export some things - too much foreign aid to countries that don't deserve it mainly. We give cash to India - it has nukes and a space program! Also a number of countries we give cash to have major terrorism and extremism problems, Should be no help till they behave.
Our tolerance in the UK is seen by many as a weakness to be exploited. Time for change IMHO. We need to be less attractive to migrants, the UK is overpopulated, the NHS overwhelmed, the economy struggling.

The UK should be pushing a Buy British Buy Local agenda to drive down imports, like they did in the 60s.

[palacebear]

Was that the 'I'm Backing Britain' campaign?
Can vaguely remember it. Was about 8 at the time

[Shropshiremoggie]

Re. I'm backing Britain , seem to remember Bruce Forsyth made a record to accompany the campaign.

[firedrake1942]

Which says it all really!

[les]

I agree a lot of people coming to the UK work hard for relatively less, and probably seen as a better option than their past prospects but there must be more to it than that, as when asked we appear to be the country of choice by many, rather than elsewhere. That's why I'm thinking, our 'system' is the attraction, warts and all.