Britain told off by Germany.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...ish-and-speak-German-

Seems like we are standing alone once again, against the might of Germany, what should Cameron tell them to do, when he visits Berlin on Friday?

Do you think he will arrive back in Britain waving a paper with the words on it, 'Peace in our time'?

Or is this just wishful thinking?

[whatmeworry]

"we made rubbish cars,"

not strictly true, the unions played a big hand in destroying this countries maufacturing base, thereby not just shooting themselves in the foot , but literally blowing them off

[Kayless]

Yes, always makes me laugh when the lefties moan about our manufacturing industry when it was their lefty mates that destroyed it!

[Khandro]

Absolutely true about the unions, but the fact remains that the products were bad (think Allegro!) and could not compete in a world market. The country was let down on all fronts; designers, managers and workforce. A complete reverse image of what was happening in Germany and burgeoning Japan. We just seemed to give up - tragedy really.

[jno]

do I have to keep repeating how the country's most successful car was a massive failure because management - MANAGEMENT - underpriced the Mini and lost £30 on every one sold?

[DTCwordfan]

Both management and unions have to take the blame - in many of our industries - let's hope they do not bludgeon our world-leading businesses in pharmaceuticals, bio-engineering, some aspects of renewables, specialist componentry, aeronautics.......

[venator]

So is it time we recognise we aren't a world power any more?

get out of the EU shambles and crawl back to the commonwealth we abandoned, which is many times larger than the EU

[whiskeryron]

Once more let us have the truth .The Germans tried to beat us in 2 world wars & couldn't do it so now they are trying another tactic BEWARE.

W Ron.

[venator]

Ron - may thy wkiskers bristle fir God, England and St George!

[Khandro]

Ron, The idea that Germany is trying to BEAT us is ludicrous, their aspiration is for the good of all the peoples of Europe and because of their own exemplary efforts, can't help but find themselves at the forefront. Carved in stone in the Constitution of Germany is that they are both SOCIAL and DEMOCRATIC, whichever party is in power. Individually the German people are not particularly rich either, in fact the wealth per capita is less than that even of Italy.

[Brenden]

Are we heading for a United States of Federal Europe or a United state of Federal Germany, it certainly looks like one of them.

[rov1100]

He will say I'm in the process of learning German. What does the word 'schadenfreude' mean when applied to the Euro.

[TTG]

They will probably promise him the Presidents job like they did to Blair lol

[jake-the-peg]

We have a trade deficit with China of 2 billion a month Venator

Do you suggest we don't need them either?

Much of our trade surplus comes from inward investment - People like me sitting in the UK working for a US company investing in Europe.

A lot of people's opinions on this matter seem deeply intrenched in national pride and some sort of delusion about our status in the world.


Imagine us out of the EU

OK Mr. International businessman are you setting up shop in the UK or in the EU which is 10 times larger and doesn't have a channel inbetween countries?

We are the most dependant country in the EU for inbound investment leaving would make us way less attractive

Frankly it would be economic suicide and that's why all the major political parties want to keep us in the EU

[whatmeworry]

"Frankly it would be economic suicide and that's why all the major political parties want to keep us in the EU"

to quote JM "you cannot be serious"

[Khandro]

"you cannot be serious" Oh yes he is,- me too, and anyone with brains also. The thing the Germans, quite rightly, are most frightened of is inflation, with very good reason, because they know from their history just what suffering it can bring. The hyperinflation they suffered TWICE in the 20th century is not anything you would want to experience; read up what happened in the 1920's when everything they owned melted into nothing, it can happen again; - go figure.