Typical Register pseudo-Libertarian right-wing claptrap blaming the EU for the Defender's demise. The writing was on the wall when the US banned its sale in their territory back in the 1990s.
I love Land Rovers to bits, with some of my happiest memories tooling round Southern Iraq in a Wolf variant - but I'm not blind to their failings. These days, most people drive the vehicle in the First World and that requires protection for the occupants, which the Land Rover doesn't really provide because it is built to provide survivability for the vehicle itself (even if it needs a bit of help with a hammer).
To have a modern equivalent of the Land Rover that is safe for its inhabitants as well as being easily repairable requires clever and considered design - and a lot of investment. Here's hoping JLR get it right when the Land Rover's replacement hits the dirt.