"Yes, coal mining was worth saving. Now we buy coal from foreigners. Who makes the money? - etc SNIP"

Well eventually their coal will run out, and will get more expensive...

"maintain cotton plantations in the UK .... etc SNIP"

Well, we Aussies are currently going thru arguments about growing cotton and rice in Aus - we are running out of water you see - driest continent in the world, and all that... we are exporting most of the cotton and rice, and we shut down our clothes making industry decades ago anyway...