The politics of the past

Sir John Rose, the Chief Executive of Rolls Royce Aero Engines, has once again drawn attention to the future of engineering employment in Britain. Many graduates are inadequately trained, and there are fewer firms now offering the opportunity to gain experience. The result is that Rolls Royce is forced to develop manufacturing capacity in Germany and the Far East.

There is an exception to this gloom. The mighty American aircraft firm, Boeing is so proud of Wolverhampton, that it is advertising  
“Boeing and the Wisdom of Wolverhampton” in the  international press worldwide. They have found a great partner in Smiths Aerospace, now a division of GE Aviation. The two firms have co-operated to produce trailing edge flaps which reduce the drag on the new 787 aircraft producing greater fuel economy: less by way of emissions, and of course employment for Wolverhampton.

More such firms are needed. If our nation is to maintain its standard of living  then we need industries actually making things. Again and again employers tell of the frustration caused by a plethora of regulation, complex taxation, and lethargic planning procedures. We must offer greater freedoms to business which in turn will enhance employment prospects. The rest of the world knows that and is welcoming enterprise with open arms. Only in the UK do we have a Government hankering back to the beer and sandwich socialism of yesteryear.

Paul