The key problem of British politics is how to manage a country where the population expects a higher standard of living than its increasingly second league status can provide.
In one way or another we all suffer from a form of post-imperial, post-industrial entitled hubris.
The world has moved on leaving the UK with pockets of excellence dwarfed by sectors are far from world class.
Few politicians understand this or have a good plan to escape our predicament (if there is one?).
We essentially have two choices:
cut our cloth accordingly - accept our global position and organise our political economy accordingly; or,
seek out strategies that can underpin world class sectors (such as universities) while accelerating areas where we can be world class (green energy perhaps).
There is some move on the latter but the current plight of the university sector is indicative of the underlying problem with our political class' views on what matters.
Might not C21st 'reindustrialisation' actually be the Green Transition?
ha ha, the 'we' is doing some interesting work there - the 'we' in question is more our political class than the population as a whole I would surmise
The only UK turbine manufacturer (isle of Wight base) was lost when Panama Davie* Cameron showed total disregard to UK mfg!
And salvaged many unfinished planes early warning planes then flogged off our Harrier VTOL planes to USA. DOH!
He also stopped solar PV dead for years, it was going well (I know I still earn from it!) PAID for by UK taxpayers like me, as it had a reduced to 5% VAT rate, on £7+k it's a lot!
But
*All he wanted in power was to keep his family business going, as it was threatened by the EU like all OFFSHOREING tax stunts (ironic they let at the time tax evasion in several countries Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Andorra etc.) in Panama and Carribbean islands, (& the grift from TTIP)
All binned by the EU around the time we left Europe!
I moved from engineering when I found out it was doomed locally, but I still liked toys and I used to get large Postage stamp sized solar cells 1.5v & electric motors for his mecano set, just to educate my son, from hobby shops around Tottenham court road London, so I realised in the late 70's how important it would be!
So it was just me? 😭!
Selfish stupid nasty fekkers that's the political slime now!
Can't sadly see any of them, NOT having any political aim which will NOT profit themselves!
Emeritus Prof Christopher May
Dr Susi Arnott
Tristan Colgate-McFarlane
Pablo Martini (Geezer)