Final Prime ministerial TV debate quotes

[Mellijelli]

Well just in case anyone did not catch the final prime ministerial TV debate here are some of the quotes BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8652399.stm).

One of the quotes say that they were talking about local manufacturing, local agriculture and asked why they were still importing huge amounts of goods from half-way around the world when they could be growing them locally, as that would be a way to create new jobs (http://www.careersandjobsuk.com/) for the future if they did so, and to invest in apprenticeships in training for young people.

I know for a fact that a lot of the wonderful fresh produce sold in the UK comes from South Africa and we basically get the left overs of that which is nothing compare to what they export out, South Africa has many many corn, sunflower, veggie and fruit farms and in the Cape regions loads of stunning wine farms which is a huge tourist attraction and you get these kinds of farms all around the country.

Farming is a South African thing you could say, im not sure how it is in the UK though, but id think with the rainy climate it could produce some good crops on certain produce, but then again the UK gets snow, SA does not have snow at all, and has one of the best sunny climates in the world, perfect for farming.

Im not sure but id like to hear a little from the locals on how farming fares in the UK, is it a profitable business there?

Truth is the UK need to create jobs wherever they can now and this would be one way to do it i suppose.

[m8internet]

This is just complete short-sightedness in the UK now

Training is seen as a business cost, not a benefit
Equally, many trainees may leave during or after that training
Therefore companies are reluctant to go through this now

Wages costs in the UK, for manufacturing, are prohibitively expensive
A skilled labourer can typically earn £20 per hour (and can be higher depending on the skill)
When you equate that into some goods that makes the UK equivalent more expensive

Since the UK virtually doesn't have a manufacturing base (for the reasons above) almost all consumer goods are now imported
Just walking round the average UK household very little of the content (I mean everything in that house) is actually sourced in the UK
Even the lorry bringing the goods into or around the UK may not be British!

Thankfully my company still believes "British is best", but I have seen in the last 10 years this is getting increasingly more difficult
However, the last few months have actually been easier as the exchange rates have made UK sales easier
Normally our USA office returns the most "profit", this year it looks like this will reverse, with two in the UK making more
We do have an office in Thailand, but this has been closed for the last three months (until the situation out there settles down)

[Mellijelli]

We have a kind of SA campaign that started a few years back called "proudly south african or "Local is Lekker" which means roughly "local stuff is good stuff".

The whole aim is to support SA made goods of any kind, so for instance they try and put as many SA TV programmes on the free channels as they can, some are totally ridiculous and some are actually very well done like some of the local soapies, travel programmes, local new reporter investigative programmes and so on, also things like our radio stations promoting SA bands and local music, setting up local music concerts, then in the stores they have the "Local is lekker" stickers on all home grown produce and meat products sold like boerewors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boerewors).

Its good for a country to be investing in its own goods instead of importing everything for everywhere else, especially if you have good quality things from your own country, i must say though i love the swiss chocolate and other delicatessens from other countries too :D

[m8internet]

I remember the "Buy British" campaigns (only just though!)
Looking back, have to laugh now; the BL Mini and Princess
If there was such a campaign now, it would have to be "Buy built in Britain, but possibly owned elsewhere"

[Mellijelli]

Hahaha funny stuff m8internet, maybe if you run for local parliament you could re-introduce some such campaign and make sure its all home grown stuff??

[m8internet]

if you run for local parliament you could re-introduce some such campaign and make sure its all home grown stuff??
I am getting more and more tempted...
When I actualy think about it, the SNP (current administration in the Scottish Parliament) don't have any actual active campaigns for "Buy Scottish", however the supermarkets do tend to emphasis this
Most of the Tesco stores here in Scotland have Scotland banners on the exterior, and Scottish produce is quite easy to find
Safeway used to have a simialr campaign (until the company was sold)

Not so sure I like the thought of "home grown from Cumbernauld"
It would probably be full of empty beer cans and road debris (the road debris due to the M80 construction)

[Mellijelli]

Well you could think of some catchy campaign name im sure? make sure its grown not brewed :D how about "Cultivate Cumbernauld"?