Re: Brexit means brexit.
"cheaper to produce in and export from the UK"
As a general rule of thumb, setting up a business, especially a complex one that actually does stuff rather than shuffles paper (virtual or otherwise), requires investment. Expanding a business in the UK likely requires investment in the UK.
Lots of delightful organisations in and around the City have helped and will help UK business move jobs and money abroad.
Suppose, for a moment, that it does become cheaper to produce in the UK (Let's ignore "cheaper than where", for now). Suppose some businessperson does want to "take back control", and bring back production as well.
OK, we like the idea, now we have to build something. Where's the investment going to come from to get the new/expanded business set up?
For most of the time since the 1960s, UK corporates have been on an anti-democratic "investment strike". The poster child of this movement would be GEC (and to a less extent, many of the CBI big name companies), which for decades refused to invest meaningfully in products, processes, and people (need some R+D, don't bother, we'll set up a joint venture with someone who already invested). Younger readers may not remember GEC. There's a reason for that.
Elsewhere, the UK energy supply industry is closer to collapse than it has ever been, but in recent years there's no finance for e.g. CCGT electricity, no finance for gas storage, definitely no finance for meaningful large scale energy efficiency, and we're reliant on the Chinese for financing (and then building) our next nuclear stations. Their return on investment will come in the form of a Chinese-built demonstration station (Bradwell).
I thought the City were supposed to be good at finance, what's up with this picture?
The joys of unrestrained free trade?
Biting the hand that feeds IT
