The Green Deal

It is great news that which ever party wins the UK election on 6 May, green investment, jobs and products will be promoted.

But the vast majority of green initiatives use imported products. Using locally made products is good for the economy and good for the environment.
The government needs to be more active in directly investing in UK businesses that are part of the green economy. There are good things happening, like the investment by the Carbon Trust. of a £454k grant in LOMOX Ltd, a company poinering OLED (organic light emitting diodes).

But we need to see some direct investment in the lower end of the technological scale-developing and promoting established technologies. We need to create everyday jobs as well as thse in the rarified atmosphere of PHD's. We need to start metal bashing again!

Direct government investment in business has had a bad press in the UK. by the 1960's and 70's the UK was a basket case following years of nationalisation after the second world war. But just because it was done badly in the past does not mean that it has to be done badly now. Other governments seem to manage- the French government has a controlling interest in EDF which is the largest utility company in the world and supplies a large part of the UK with electricity and will control the UK's nuclear power. So a stratgic part of the UK energy supply will be controlled by a foreign government. The french government also has an interest in Renault, which has a stake in Nissan which is the largest employer in the north east of England; and Deutsche Bahn is about to take over british bus and train operator Arriva-who owns Deutsche Bahn?...the german government!

So if the french and german governments can do it , why not the british government?

Companies should be owned by those who have a long term interest in their future and that includes governments when there is a national or strategic interest at stake.