Seems Lotus now want some of our money...

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default ... ryId=22921

I haven't heard that Proton are in any financial difficulties, so why don't they provide the money?

I'd tell them to get lost.

With a ransom like that how could you do anything else but not pay?
[LIFTED] 'em, I say.

Mark

Their timing's not very good. Year or two ago they might have got the money. Now all they're going to get is laughed at.

Jon

Agreed, but £40M for 1000 jobs is not too bad. It might have better chance in a coalition constituency.

Tell em to p!ss off!

I doubt it will create a thousand new jobs - its likely that they will close another factory or two when the new ultra modern one is built (with taxpayer money). I bet there will be a net loss of jobs and we will have been reamed to the tune for 40 mil. for the pleasure of adding a few hundred to the dole queue.

I have mixed feelings.
I'd like to keep industry going in this country, before all the Lotus employees end up working in a call centre, after 'retraining' and a spell on the dole.
In fact, it's possible the £40mill might be worth the investment if the factory does create jobs and if the cost of wrapping up the operation is larger.

I'd like to think we still made things in this country, instead of raising a culture of unemployment and state dependency combined with an industry of temps for whom data entry and telesales for £5.50 an hour is the best they'll look forward to.

Someone should remind them that this country's flat broke - as much as I'd like to keep a car industry in this country, there's no room for sentiments at the moment. Call their bluff, I'd say - surely it would cost them more than £40m to set up a production line in another country?

the problem is that far too many industries and companies build in the subsidies into their plans and then every few years move because of it. To get fresh subsidies.

Those who demand don't get - 3 year-old or car company.

Bye.

Poor business planning if they need to rely on subsidies. Bye bye.

Do you feel the same about the farming community?

Do you, Alex, feel the same about kidnappers and terrorists?

Mark

Feeding the nation is entirely different, especially when it comes to pressure from supermarkets and EU directives.

Actually landlords now demand a slice of any agricultural grants, which should be illegal and result in loss of ownership.

Difference is kidnapping and terrorism are
a.) Illegal.
b.) Don't provide any reliable form of income, taxation or employment.



It's the EU that often provide the subsidy, and the UK farm industry doesn't feed the nation. We're reliant on imports. So in that regard, there's no real difference between losing a factory of skilled workers losing their jobs and the knock on effect and a farm that may be reliant on imported labour.
Interesting debate though.