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British minister to request Honda rethink plant shutdown

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The phrase "rat deserting a sinking ship" spring to mind, thank heavens for Brexit, what would we have done if we had stayed IN the EU.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

The phrase "rat deserting a sinking ship" spring to mind, thank heavens for Brexit, what would we have done if we had stayed IN the EU.

If that's the case then I'd rather be the rat who survives (Honda) rather than go down with the ship(Britain)!

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The phrase "rat deserting a sinking ship" spring to mind, thank heavens for Brexit, what would we have done if we had stayed IN the EU.

Honda may well have stayed in Swindon if it weren't for Brexit. Even The Times newspaper, bastion of conservatism, admits that Brexit will destroy Britain's car industry and agriculture.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/voodoo-economics-m79383x2r

And who's sponsoring Brexit? Why, it's US agribusiness, among others. Must be just a coincidence, right?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Forgot the link:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/21/us-agribusiness-lobbyists-paid-for-trip-by-david-davis

5 ( +5 / -0 )

depends if you're a glass half empty kinda person. For me I see plants that will become available to help UK in with green tech development. The Brexit point was, rightly or wrongly, for the UK to stand up for itself again and this is an opportunity to do that and not go hat in hand to beg to multinationals

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

The UK is finished: economically, politically, and the greatest irony of all, culturally. It aspires to greatness - to revisit history - but will never again sail those seas, so myopic and anaemic will she forever now remain. She’s old and her time past. Her only hope for survival was to share strength in unity. Once separated from the herd, nature will take its course. To think or hope for anything else is folly.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Ask all they want but it:s going to take money to keep them there.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

More to the point, Honda should request Britain rethink Brexit

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Aside from the economics, Honda was probably irritated by their 'joint' McLaren F1 venture, a relationship that promised much but went nowhere. A symbolic rejection?

A pity, because I think there is still a lot of love for Honda in Britain.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Unless Brexit is reversed or there is a second vote (which amounts to the same thing) pretty soon, it will be too late to keep Honda unfortunately.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@thedyinglight

I take a very different view. I find there is a growing number of people who claim that Brits are pining for 'the good old days of Empire'. I think this is a bit of a strawman. Hardly anyone in the UK thinks like that, it's just people who have an axe to grind often say it is so.

Britain has been under "managed decline" for almost 60 years. It's time that stopped. It's also time for more positivity. If anything, Britain is an extremely innovative country. Although there are lots of people who will be negative about it, I think better days are ahead.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

More to the point, Honda should request Britain rethink Brexit

Worse case scenario, there will be a tariff wall between Europe and UK. That been the case how many cars does the UK currently export to the rest of Europe, VS the other way round? UK will be the winner!

For Honda, it will be six of one half a dozen the otherother no matter where they export from.

As others have posted, the UK can ask, but Honda will probably just play hard to get and say no, it doesn't really care about Brexit.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Cue the cultural misunderstandings:

MP will present his idea why Honda should stay.

Japanese management will say "we will consider your arguments".

MP will report back "They're considering it!".

Meanwhile, Honda management immediately starts looking for EU location for new EU-based plant.

A waste of taxpayer money to even come & discuss it.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Taking back control to grovel for what we had already.

I hope someone is teaching Davis to bow deeply enough.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Nothing against you UK.

Japan has warned about this possibility of leaving if you Brexit Europe.

Doing business in a developed country can be hard already, but you just made it even harder.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I'm guessing this has to do with the fact that the EU offered to remove Tariffs on Japanese imports, (and not U.K. imports) This the E.U. is incentivising them to build cars in Japan (instead of the U.K.) and import them to the E.U. (Kind of a European F.U. to the U.K.) It's getting Obvious that the E.U. is going to punish the U.K. for leaving, so Maybe the U.K. should make stronger trade ties with the U.S. (If you have a problem with Trump I'm guessing he's only going to be around another two years.)

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Yes sure, the British economy might be crumbling, and yes, the standards of living might be decreasing, and yes, a lot of high paying jobs will be leaving, and sure, the country will loose political and economic power, all that is true, BUT, the important thing that makes it all worth it is that there will be less Polish people now, and more Africans, Indians and Pakistanis, even though Poland is now a rich country and nobody wants to come here, BUT the point is still that there will be less Poles. ~~~~Daily Mail Reader.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Both UK and Japan made huge mistakes.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Taking back control to grovel for what we had already.

That about sums it up for me.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Brexit is just plain stupid

Is it? Here's another viewpoint

Is the European Union good for Europe? Or would Europeans be better off without it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLp7LtXmy68

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This has little, if any, to do with brexit. The real reason is that Japanese cars are hard sale in European market, (perhaps except Nissan as it's tighly integrated into Renault dealership network). Moreover, the EPA deal makes local manufacturing even more pointless from a business point of view. Honda see Brexit as an good diplomatic opportunity to axe the jobs

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

With regard to comments about "better days ahead" for the UK, I am sorry but simple mathematics and extrapolation are damning. In today’s world and even if the UK exceeds its best possible expectations, it just doesn’t have the numbers to compete on a global stage, by itself. Not enough people, nor resources, nor infrastructure, nor innovation, nor wishful thinking. In every measurable sense, the gap between it, current and future global powers will only increase. As a Brit who spends much of my time working overseas, I can tell you our warm notions of work-life balance, lofty wage expectations and comfortable living standards - all mean any favourable post-Brexit foundation, upon which a brighter future can be built, is impossible.

Many argue Brexit is an opportunity to forge new alliances and working relationships. There are none better than those the UK already has, as part of the EU. Amongst my colleagues in the US, Australia, China and Japan, none see Brexit as anything more than economic doom, largely orchestrated by self-serving forces, hoping to gain more power through the manipulation of unprepared, ill-informed, desperate, resentful masses. Of those, there were, are and will increasingly be plentiful number.

I mourn for my country, though do have faith future generations will benefit from hindsight and more literate vision.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"With regard to comments about "better days ahead" for the UK, I am sorry but simple mathematics and extrapolation are damning."

Absolutely correct; this from another Brit, who actually loves living here in the UK.

There's no upside to this madness; only benefits for Bojo and Co., who, being excellent asset strippers will snap up everything on the cheap, once the house starts disintegrating.

This is what happens when such a monumental decision was left to those for whom "experts, who needs them", or, "we'll be just fine, bring on WTO rules"; (never mind they don't have a clue what these rules will do to British agriculture and manufacturing).

"I mourn for my country, though do have faith future generations will benefit from hindsight and more literate vision."

Amen.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The horse has already bolted !

Greg Clarke might well have a wasted visit!

Any concessions that would entice the Japanese to stay are almost impossible for the British to give...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There is an expression that says "People in hell also want ice water.........."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

HONDA the brand is a good company, but the president or founders or co-founders are no more in the company. Prime-Minister May , U are talking to a salaryman president of the company that sill just follow the wind of his level.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

BreXit is kinda convenient for Companies to use to make decisions that may improve their bottom line. Shifting everything to the cheapest European member country to operate within and importing skilled workers from elsewhere seems to make sense, and would both be legal and without risk to Corporate standing.

I wouldn't use the phrase Rats and sinking ship, as that's somewhat dumb, the rats would drown anyway.... but perhaps, I'd use the phrase

"Seeking to preserve a foothold within the European market-place whilst maintaining a limited presence in the UK"

Thereagain, it does make you think a bit why, these Companies invested in the UK... did they really "invest" or was it the Government backhanders supporting them ... which is sort of questions why the Government just didnt setup the Company in the first place to make and sell cars/bikes to the local population in the first place - they may have actually made money by doing so! Hmm... that'd be Democratically elected Communism ? Mind boggling.. a Hard Brexit will be most interesting, and could actually be good for the World going forward - if there is one thing, that the Brits are good at, is getting themselves out of a Pickle once they're up to the neck in it... and that, folks, is where they need to be in order to move forward, delay or no delay.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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