"The traditional heavy industries were in decline and had been for a considerable time. Thatcher inherited a problem ignored by at least the four previous PMs of both persuasions. She solved the problem and rationalised the system. So far automation has only wiped out unskilled jobs. Hear the screams when traditional white collar jobs evaporate due to computerisation. Much by rote teaching is better done in front of a computer. Do we really need all those flag waving sandal wearing teaches?
De regulation is another matter entirely."

Hmm. What a pity you didn't pay a bit more attention to your sandal-wearing teachers. You might have avoided all those errors of grammar and punctuation, and your assessment of recent history might have turned out to be a little more sound as well.

And I see from Teribus that the only way to assess the success or otherwise of an industry is by measuring how much profit it makes. The greater good of the country can go hang. Still, as long as we don't mind relying on unstable foreign regimes for our energy supplies...