Post election prediction

[FunkyDexter]

The UK is all but deindustrialized

Yes and no. Our industrial base has definitely declined since the 60s but we do still have a reasonably substantial manufacturing base. It tends to be focussed on second form production (i.e. import some base materials and turn them into a high end good) rather than first form like heavy industry or mineral exploitation.

Mostly though, we are a service based economy. Mostly finance (though we took a hit due to Brexit - it's why we're amazed that you're determined to repeat our mistake - protectionism is bad for you, trust us, we tried it) but we've also got big software industries, especially games and anti virus (though MS may have usurped the latter, I don't know) and various others.

And here I'm going to let you in on a little secret - the reason heavy industry and mineral exploitation left your country (and ours) isn't because other poorer countries "stole" it, it's because you didn't want it. Despite the nostalgic narrative working down a coal mine or on an automotive production line is an underpaid, physically difficult and dangerous job. Oh, sure, you get to sing Bruce Springsteen songs with extra credibility but that's small recompense for a statistically earlier death. There's a reason you personally learned to code rather than picked up a shovel.

Poorer nations don't send their kids down mines because they want a slice of your industry, they do it because they don't have the training and education infrastructures in place to take your high end jobs.


Edit> Oh, and I'd say the USA is looking a whole lot more Orwellian than Europe right now.