Lord Stokes, chairman of British Leyland, said last night that the country should stop molly-coddling people from cradle to grave and return to a work ethic. He described subsidizing strikers as “ridiculous”.
He told the Society of Chemical Industry in Birmingham: “I rather think we have got to give more serious attention to considering whether we can afford the welfare ethic any longer and whether we should not return to the work ethic. The key to progress lies not in molly-coddling the nation from the cradle to the grave but rather encouraging and rewarding everybody actually to work more intelligently.”
The greatest blow to national prosperity had been the excessive number of industrial disputes which had stopped production.
“It seems ridiculous that the taxpayer should directly or indirectly subsidize people who voluntarily decide to go on strike “, he said.
While they did that, the problems of pensioners and those on low incomes who were genuinely hard pressed by ever increasing costs, particularly of food, went unrecognised, he said.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
- Concepts and prototypes : Hyundai/Rover Oden (1992) - 9 November 2023
- Opinion : So, maybe the Montego was the best they could do… - 8 November 2023
- The cars : Austin Montego (LM11) development story - 7 November 2023
How apt the first paragraph,i also seen sprayed on a wall tonight walking my springer “do everything get nothing-do nothing get everything”i could not call that graffiti only the bloody truth!