Who do you think will win the next general election?

[Nick]

What illegal strike action. (Not a trick question.)

The miners strike, Scargill took the miners out illegally without a ballot. 

[papasmurf]

And a very good question — until a law (or laws) is passed to set the parameters under which strikes can and cannot happen, strikes are not illegal.

Strikers and "bosses" might act illegally  during strikes, but the strikes, themselves, would not necessarily be illegal...

Striking will be illegal if the current shower in power can get the legislation through parliament.

[patman post]

What illegal strike action. (Not a trick question.)

And a very good question — until a law (or laws) is passed to set the parameters under which strikes can and cannot happen, strikes are not illegal. 

Strikers and "bosses" might act illegally  during strikes, but the strikes, themselves, would not necessarily be illegal...

[papasmurf]

Taking illegal strike action is not being scapegoated.

What illegal strike action. (Not a trick question.)

[Nick]

But the main cause, with unions being scapegoated.

Taking illegal strike action is not being scapegoated. 

[papasmurf]

Not the only cause. 

But the main cause, with unions being scapegoated.

[patman post]

Bad management has been the cause of industrial decline in Britain.

Not the only cause. Governments supported the wrong causes. For example, while other recipients of Marshall Aid ploughed it into industry and infrastructure, Britain used a large proportion of its share to build up its armed forces — this despite probably getting more US aid than all the major European recipients put together.

Managements were both influenced and stymied by old-style British Empire thinking...

[patman post]

You can blame the demise of industry on the unions, they've forced the working man down a hole at every turn.

Subsequent governments have failed to build on Maggie's nuclear program. 

What was the "working man" offered? Post war industry was busy re-installing and building products and technology from the past.

Germany faced even greater destruction, but built up its manufacturing base into a world beater in some sectors — and its trade union structure was set up by the British TUC. 

Maggie was busy contesting Dartford when Calder Hall came on stream...

[cromwell]

You can blame the demise of industry on the unions, they've forced the working man down a hole at every turn.

Subsequent governments have failed to build on Maggie's nuclear program. 

No you can't and you still cannot answer if you think the privatisation of the utilities has turned out well.

Bad management has been the cause of industrial decline in Britain.

In part very true

[papasmurf]

You can blame the demise of industry on the unions, 

Bad management has been the cause of industrial decline in Britain.

[Nick]

Nuclear was meant to be that in 1956 when Calder Hall was promoted as generating electricity that was too cheap to meter.

There's always improvements — ice-box to fridge, Stanley Steamer to electric to IC and back to electric, solid fuel boiler to gas and immersion heater, candle to led, Windows 1 to Widows 365, etc.

Not modernising and keeping up is what's led to the disappearance of much of traditional British industry because of its inability to compete...

You can blame the demise of industry on the unions, they've forced the working man down a hole at every turn. 

Subsequent governments have failed to build on Maggie's nuclear program.   

[patman post]

And in the 10 year period they come up with a really cheap source and you're left paying for a system that's useless.

Nuclear was meant to be that in 1956 when Calder Hall was promoted as generating electricity that was too cheap to meter.

There's always improvements — ice-box to fridge, Stanley Steamer to electric to IC and back to electric, solid fuel boiler to gas and immersion heater, candle to led, Windows 1 to Widows 365, etc.

Not modernising and keeping up is what's led to the disappearance of much of traditional British industry because of its inability to compete...

[Nick]

You appear to be talking emergency back up. For that, I'd use a generator — possibly coupled into a domestic UPS.

Domestic battery systems, that store off-peak and home-generated electricity, are useful in that they help reduce the load on the supply network during heavy demand (that's the altruistic bit), and reduce the householder's electricity bills by up to 15% p.a.

OK, so an installation could be between £3000 to £6000, but that could be amortised over seven to ten years. And gas heating and hot water systems can cost around the same...

And in the 10 year period they come up with a really cheap source and you're left paying for a system that's useless. 

[patman post]

It's about £20K to get me a house battery that will last overnight.
I'm really not very impressed with governments who waste so much of other people's money.

If they get deselected so what?
Good riddance.

Trouble is, whoever replaces them will be worse.

You appear to be talking emergency back up. For that, I'd use a generator — possibly coupled into a domestic UPS.

Domestic battery systems, that store off-peak and home-generated electricity, are useful in that they help reduce the load on the supply network during heavy demand (that's the altruistic bit), and reduce the householder's electricity bills by up to 15% p.a.

OK, so an installation could be between £3000 to £6000, but that could be amortised over seven to ten years. And gas heating and hot water systems can cost around the same...

[Baff]

It's about £20K to get me a house battery that will last overnight.
I'm really not very impressed with governments who waste so much of other people's money.

If they get deselected so what?
Good riddance.

Trouble is, whoever replaces them will be worse.