30 Years after the 'Winter of Discontent'

[bob1179]

Just found an interesting linky on the beeb:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7598647.stm

I'm fascinated by modern history, and this little snippet is an interesting look into the winter of 1978/79.

It is intriguing to see certain parallels with what is happening today, interest rates rising, striking due to pay within the civil service, a government unable to take control and a country heading into recession.

Obviously, the country is nowhere near as bad as it was then, but I would like to see what we have learnt from this episode of British history and also if a something similar could happen again?

I suppose one must look at the wider picture, 'detente' was over and we were slipping into a very frosty period of the Cold War, the Unions had massive control and inflation was rising to a crippling level. This all happened just before I was born so I have no recollection of this time but it would be interesting to see what other PHers views of this are.

[jamoor]

So looks like ford staff went on some kind of strike triggering off strikes all over the UK.

Do Ford still manufacture cars in the United Kingdom?

Edited by jamoor on Friday 5th September 09:38

[bob1179]

Ford no longer make cars in the UK, but they still make the Transit van here. I believe they also carry out R&D here.

[Timmy35]

bob1179 said:

Obviously, the country is nowhere near as bad as it was then,

Really? Are you quite sure about that? We're just at the start of this, not even in the middle, and nowhere near the end inspite of what the one-eyed-wallet-gobbler would have us all believe.

[jamoor]

bob1179 said:

Ford no longer make cars in the UK, but they still make the Transit van here. I believe they also carry out R&D here.

Sounds like they packed their bags and left, talk about biting the hand that feeds.

[cjs]

I still go camping in my discount tent.

[Andy Zarse]

bob1179 said:

Ford no longer make cars in the UK, but they still make the Transit van here.

But probably not for that much longer, a review of operations is underway presently.

[bob1179]

Timmy35 said:

bob1179 said:

Obviously, the country is nowhere near as bad as it was then,

Really? Are you quite sure about that? We're just at the start of this, not even in the middle, and nowhere near the end inspite of what the one-eyed-wallet-gobbler would have us all believe.

That is true, I wonder how far things will go? Where will we be in twelve months time? I'm not an economist after all. I do love modern history though and like to see how the country overcame these difficulties and how the current government could repeat the same mistakes.

[Timmy35]

bob1179 said:

That is true, I wonder how far things will go? Where will we be in twelve months time? I'm not an economist after all. I do love modern history though and like to see how the country overcame these difficulties and how the current government could repeat the same mistakes.

Probably pleading with the Europeans to let us into the Euro at parity so that we stand some chance of being able to refinance the countrys debt, having had the UKs sovereign debt rating downgraded early next year as the extent of the mess becomes clear. On the upside it might stop us being such an arrogant bunch and thinking we walk on water as an economy and don't need europe.

Oh and I'm laying odds Gordon will have stepped down due to "ill health".

Edited by Timmy35 on Friday 5th September 09:53

[Puff Puff]

cjs said:

I still go camping in my discount tent.

In the winter?

[MikeyT]

The country was crying out for a strong leader - ala Thatcher and got her - courtesy of Saatchi's ad campaign shown in the link.

Although I had only just gone to College when she came in, she was a breath of fresh air - and I'll admit to voting for her in '83. What she subsequently went on to do though is up for debate, selling off the family silver etc. What we all wouldn't give for a properly run nationalised power company now - not hundreds of 'em all trying to make a vast profit - which is daft as opening up the industy(ies) was supposed to make costs lower. Some chance.

I knwo you had to wait six weeks for a phone to be put in etc, but could have been changed by instigating private companies doctrines into a company whose aim was to provide the necessities for the nation's people - not make huge inflated profits for a smnall no,. of people.

Or does that make a me a communist?

[johnnywb]

bob1179 said:

Timmy35 said:

bob1179 said:

Obviously, the country is nowhere near as bad as it was then,

Really? Are you quite sure about that? We're just at the start of this, not even in the middle, and nowhere near the end inspite of what the one-eyed-wallet-gobbler would have us all believe.

That is true, I wonder how far things will go? Where will we be in twelve months time? I'm not an economist after all. I do love modern history though and like to see how the country overcame these difficulties and how the current government could repeat the same mistakes.

It depends how people react. Most of the population still seem to be in denial that anything is seriously wrong. Inflation is now at 4.4% according to the Government, so in reality a lot higher, but even at 4.4%, that's more than double the Government's target, yet we're in economic recession. The current bunch of halfwits couldn't find their way out of a tunnel if you gave them a map and a torch, so how exactly they're going to try and bring the country out of this mess is completely beyond me.

The moment some of the big unions start suffering redundancies is when the fun and games will begin.

[Timmy35]

johnnywb said:

Most of the population still seem to be in denial that anything is seriously wrong.

Probably because the BBC is constantly telling them there isn't.

[MikeyT]

Timmy35 said:

johnnywb said:

Most of the population still seem to be in denial that anything is seriously wrong.

Probably because the BBC is constantly telling them there isn't.

That is simply not true from what I watched yesterday. BBC had a piece on covering Clown talking in Scotland and then when on to talk to other 'experts' rubbishing what he (Clown) said.

And what he said was pure rhetoric and politico speak.

[johnnywb]

MikeyT said:

Timmy35 said:

johnnywb said:

Most of the population still seem to be in denial that anything is seriously wrong.

Probably because the BBC is constantly telling them there isn't.

That is simply not true from what I watched yesterday. BBC had a piece on covering Clown talking in Scotland and then when on to talk to other 'experts' rubbishing what he (Clown) said.

And what he said was pure rhetoric and politico speak.

Sorry, what were they discussing?

The media are worried that if they say we're in a recession, a large majority of the population will panic and economic spending will dry up completely, making things worse and none of the media outputs wants to be accused of 'talking us into a recession'.

bks. We're already there.

[bob1179]

Timmy35 said:

Oh and I'm laying odds Gordon will have stepped down due to "ill health".

I can see this happening (it'll be that problem he has with his mouth...) but who would replace him? As far as I can see at the moment, the entire government is inept, none of the parties has a strong leader, somebody you can say 'Yeah, this person CAN do the job.'

I suppose at the moment, we are buggered.

[bob1179]

johnnywb said:

The moment some of the big unions start suffering redundancies is when the fun and games will begin.

This will be an interesting scenario. The heavy indutry the UK had in the 1970's no longer exists to the same extent. A majority of the heavy steel and manufacturing has gone to the Far East, it all seems to be civil service and service industries here now.

I'm watching events unfold with a certain morbid fascination.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

bob1179 said:

Timmy35 said:

Oh and I'm laying odds Gordon will have stepped down due to "ill health".

I can see this happening (it'll be that problem he has with his mouth...) but who would replace him? As far as I can see at the moment, the entire government is inept, none of the parties has a strong leader, somebody you can say 'Yeah, this person CAN do the job.'

I suppose at the moment, we are buggered.

That fker better not step down and deny the public a chance to vote him out.

before some smug tw@t parps up - I know we only vote for our local MP

[215cu]

Timmy35 said:

bob1179 said:

That is true, I wonder how far things will go? Where will we be in twelve months time? I'm not an economist after all. I do love modern history though and like to see how the country overcame these difficulties and how the current government could repeat the same mistakes.

Probably pleading with the Europeans to let us into the Euro at parity so that we stand some chance of being able to refinance the countrys debt, having had the UKs sovereign debt rating downgraded early next year as the extent of the mess becomes clear. On the upside it might stop us being such an arrogant bunch and thinking we walk on water as an economy and don't need europe.

Oh and I'm laying odds Gordon will have stepped down due to "ill health".

Edited by Timmy35 on Friday 5th September 09:53

I got 9-1 at the start of the year for Brown to be gone by the end of it. The return on that £50 is looking promising.

[SleeperCell]

Timmy35 said:

Oh and I'm laying odds Gordon will have stepped down due to "ill health".

Ah yes, Incompetentitis, terrible affliction