An unpopular opinion, but outsourcing abroad the industry, which wasn't working due to permanent strikes anyway, was probably net positive overall. Of course keeping the industry and fixing somehow the issue would have been better, but it's a bit though in a democratic country where unions exist - just take a look at train drivers now - they keep the whole country hostage, and even though they earn comparatively more than in other countries they demand relatively big pay rises every year.

Every British person would probably kill me for saying this.