Re: Brexit Anyone? : Wed Aug 31, 2016 5:10 pm  

brearley84 wrote:

snippet today that arund 25% drop in foriegn workers applying to work in trade

Which trade?

brearley84 wrote:

bosses having to pay abit more?

lol

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Wed Aug 31, 2016 8:47 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Unfortunately, all imported goods have increased in price by over 10%

It's up to people to start buying British more often. There are plenty of companies out there if people can be bothered to look. Unfortunately we live in an age where people would rather spend their hard earned money on easily accessible foreign crap.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:12 am  

King Street Cat wrote:

It's up to people to start buying British more often. There are plenty of companies out there if people can be bothered to look. Unfortunately we live in an age where people would rather spend their hard earned money on easily accessible foreign crap.

Are you serious ?

Primark, on of the fastest growing and largest stores on the high street, sell very, very little (if anything) that is manufactured in the UK and even with some currency led inflation, the UK is in no position to compete with China, India, Indonesia etc, etc.
The UK population buy on price above all else and apart from the better off members of society, the vast majority cannot afford to buy British (even if UK made goods were available).
Have a look around your house and see what you can find that is made over here, it will be interesting to see what you find.

Granted some products may become slightly more competitive if they are being made for export but, where are the raw materials going to come from to make these items ?
The UK has run a massive trade deficit since the middle of the last century and although this may be offset by our substantial banking/finance services, the UK is clearly vulnerable to increasing prices from overseas.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:04 pm  

I'm not for one minute suggesting that 'everything' can be bought British or locally but there are still plenty of things that can be which keep more money in the local and national economy.

I hate Primark with a passion. Cheaply made, cheaply sold and cheaply thrown away with no other goal than fast fashion and profit. The fact it is one of the fastest growing retailers makes me feel nauseous and reflects the morals of today's throwaway society where nothing is valued. I was always taught to save up, buy well buy once and look after the things I bought. Probably the reason I still wear items of British made clothing from the 1990s!

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:05 pm  

positive news that the PM is pushing ahead with the exit yesterday

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:52 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

apart from the better off members of society, the vast majority cannot afford to buy British

Isn't this just a stigma attached to buying British though?

I know people to whom the mere mention of local business, hand-made, farm shop or farmer's market has them in a total fit of rage.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:02 am  

King Street Cat wrote:

Isn't this just a stigma attached to buying British though?

I know people to whom the mere mention of local business, hand-made, farm shop or farmer's market has them in a total fit of rage.

And equally, I know people to whom the prospect of buying artisanal eggs with chicken $hit still on them is a distant dream; people buy what they can afford, and apart from a privileged few, don't have the luxury of considering provenance.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:36 am  

bren2k wrote:

people buy what they can afford

Going slightly off topic that could make a whole thread in itself. In an economy built on credit and debt I'd say it's quite the opposite.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:01 am  

King Street Cat wrote:

Going slightly off topic that could make a whole thread in itself. In an economy built on credit and debt I'd say it's quite the opposite.

Just imagine the level of debt it they had bought British made goods

Seriously though, as a nation, we have been encouraged to source from the cheapest nation and in my trade, we have seen goods move from being manufactured in the UK, to Portugal, to China and slowly to India (although the EU put a 20% anti dumping tariff on Indian produced goods).
Ironically, the anti dumping tariff has done nothing to save the Portugese manufacturing base and they have suffered in exactly the same way as the UK did 30 years ago.
We keep hearing that the UK should concentrate it's manufacture on more technical or innovative products but, there just isn't enough of this "high value" manufacture to create employment for 30 million people.

Re: Brexit Anyone? : Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:51 pm  

King Street Cat wrote:

I'm not for one minute suggesting that 'everything' can be bought British or locally but there are still plenty of things that can be which keep more money in the local and national economy.

I hate Primark with a passion. Cheaply made, cheaply sold and cheaply thrown away with no other goal than fast fashion and profit. The fact it is one of the fastest growing retailers makes me feel nauseous and reflects the morals of today's throwaway society where nothing is valued. I was always taught to save up, buy well buy once and look after the things I bought. Probably the reason I still wear items of British made clothing from the 1990s!