Review revolt as cuts come close
19 October 2010
No doubt the spending review, due to be announced later today, will throw up more talking points, but people clearly have formed opinions already...
Last week’s blog ‘Cut the roots and stunt the growth’, which was an advanced reaction to this week’s spending review, caused something of a stir. A number of respondents pointed out that it indicated a political bias – but that was not my intention. If it sounded as if my anger was being vented only at this Government, an impression that would have been exaggerated if I had left in the paragraph about the irreversible damage that the Thatcher administration did to the industrial sector, then it would not be entirely accurate. The last Labour Government did not see the importance of manufacturing either and left it to decay as it snuggled up to its new friends in the city.
A full and frank response came from Adrian Jones of EIDO, who are involved in the Southern Manufacturing and Electronics exhibition. He commented: “I have to say, I don't agree with all your points. But I'm very much in agreement with your need to invest in our collective futures by taking steps to generate activity at the grass roots of manufacturing. I think it's quite clear that if the UK isn't going to crumble into dust, we need to develop a diverse economy based on something more substantial than nebulous financial services and house-price inflation. That means just one thing: Making things. In order for us to become good at that, two things need to happen: Developing the necessary skills in people and motivating them to put those skills to good use. The problem we have in this country is that under the last couple of administrations, vocational (ie. practical) skills have been eschewed in favour of so-called modern skills... your media studies, liberal arts et al. A whole generation of youngsters have been brought up on the notion that you have to have a degree to do anything in life - any degree will do - and that getting your hands dirty has no relevance in the modern world. This is, of course, utter rubbish.
“Somehow we have to get people involved in engineering and manufacturing again. Painful though it may be for those unfortunate enough to be left holding the parcel when the music stopped, I think that the failure of many of the present generation to gain refuge in the university system is going to force them to seek out alternatives, which hopefully will include engineering-based studies and vocational training. The economy, by necessity, is going to have to lose a lot of the non-essential jobs - "diversity outreach officers" and the like - and this is going to take away the market for some of these fairly worthless degree courses that seem to have sprung up over the last decade. At the same time, a shrinking economy is going to motivate people to get off their backsides and start doing something to help themselves rather than waiting for the Nanny State to rescue them with handouts. Hunger is no bad thing - it's nature's way of telling you to get out of bed! When skills and motivation combine, we can't fail to see things start to happen. And when companies start springing up, they will create jobs and futures. But there's going to have to be a bit of pain first. That much is clear.
“What has really disappointed me is that I was hoping the new government was going to recognise the importance that manufacturing has to play in all our futures. But it seems very much like "business as normal". Once again I've invited a senior politician down to Southern Manufacturing & Electronics: Once again, I've been completely ignored. Likewise, the BBC will completely ignore anything to do with manufacturing. Makes you wonder if we shouldn't organise a concerted campaign to force these politicians to sit up and take notice.”
Richard Etherton, Principal Engineer at Davis Derby was more interested by the headline. He wrote: “I really like the flower analogy and you are quite right about cutting the roots although you might kill the whole plant rather than just stunt the growth. However, when plants get long and gangly, the longer shoots take all the nutrients from the plant.
“Plus when a plant has flowered and done its job. Deadheading is imperative. Long shoots should be cut back rigorously to a level comparable with the rest of the plant such that an even distribution of nutrients occurs and the entire plant benefits and a more rounded and an overall stronger plant develops.”
It certainly takes the analogy further than I had anticipated, but if I take his viewpoint correctly then I agree that strategic cuts are fine if they are sympathetic to our overall economic objectives. Go too far and we are in trouble!
Any viewpoints on what appears in EPDontheNET newsletters are always welcome, and where it adds something new to the debate I will always try and find room for it. As always, I will assume that opinions expressed are those of the individual and not of the company or organisation they work for.
To completely change the subject, can I point out that this week’s issue of the newsletter continues the theme that we will follow throughout October – electronica! Most if not all of the products that we write about this month will be on show at the industry’s main event in Munich at the beginning of November. For more information on the event go to our online preview.
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