I think that it is about time that this stopped, how about you?

Question

£102.4bn: Spent by foreign bidders buying British companies so far this year*
£645.7bn: Spent on buying British companies since Labour came to power in 1997*
£18bn: Value of the biggest foreign takeover of a UK firm - the sale of 02 to Spain's Telefonica
626: Number of British companies falling into foreign hands so far this year*
9: Number of FTSE 100 companies 'taken out' or under offer from foreign bidders in past two years
7: Number of Premiership football clubs bought or about to be bought by foreign investors
3m: Number of British jobs dependent on foreign owners
20%: Of Britain's GDP contributed by foreign-owned companies
£1bn: Estimated value of tax breaks enjoyed by Spain's Iberdrola as a result of its buyout of Scottish Power
0: Number of developed countries other than Britain that have an open-door policy on foreign takeovers
* source: Dealogic

Answer 1

Absoloutely. But unfortunately, there's no legislation against them.
The problem being:
1. The greed and lack of forsight of the company owners and share holders.
2. The lack of comprehension by the general populous as to how serious to Britains economy this can become.
3. The apathy by those who do.

Also, 1/2 the problem is, all the political parties are not interested in the long term economy of the country. So there policies are all directed into creating short term income and are not willing to invest on long term industries or ideas.
That is why Japan and America do so well for instance.
An example is the silicon chip. It was actually invented by a British inventor, but because no use could be found for it at the time, the rights were eventually bought by the Japanese. Who spent 20 years of investment into the first electronic microchipped calculators were created. Then look what happened from the 70's to the 90's Japan became the major industrial power in the World. Weve also taken companies like Wessex, who made helicopters in the 80's and were making a good profit and sold it off for no reason than for the party to use the profit to help give everone a cut in income tax.
The whole way our Government is elected and the power that is given them to do what they do is flawed. I think that the Government should be paid on an annual appraised dictum. Which is decided by an independent body, taking into account, the policies they have made and introduced, the state of the annual economy and any additional things, such as either negatively, for procreating wars, or positively, helping to implement long term research. Maybe then we can see a Great Britain again.

Answer 2

The same thing is happening throughout the U.S. as well. It's called capitalism, greed and globalization. In this ,mindset, people would happily shoot themselves in the foot (or head) if they thought they'd make a profit on the deal. They'll claim that the work is staying here so the money is staying here as well. Sounds good if you think getting someone else's table scraps and bread crumbs is "Money." What they don't seem to understand is that first, the big money will definitely be leaving the country and second, that the owner can close shop and move to their home country anytime they please with no recourse by the locals.

Answer 3

to answer your question - yes it should stop, but it wont.

but it doesnt stop with foreign companies.

This government paid a "grant" of some numbers of millions to a UK company who promptly used it to drive hundreds of other UK firms under. According to the DTI they cant put restrictions on what firms can use the money for. But it alright because the headline reads 800 jobs saved (25 miles from tony blairs constituancy) rather than detailing the jobs lost in south (hundreds of miles from Tonys constituancy)

Answer 4

It works both ways except that when the foreign companies take over one of our utilities they stop all investment into it and make huge profits and then when the utility really looks like failing they sell it at another huge profit and the process starts all over again.
Happy Christmas.

Answer 5

Why don't you start up a fund to buy up all these "British" companies and institutions? I would suggest that the amount of subscriptions you would receive would be about equal to the number of beans that make five.

Answer 6

i've got been advised approximately 10000 situations that i'm no longer a real Christian (TM) because of the fact my ideals do no longer fall in with the extremist occasion line. I proportion a number of your perspectives. I carry citizenship in a mundane u . s . (america). there are various paths to God. I take part in the two Christian and non-Christian rites. i'm no longer terrified of non-Christian impacts. I refuse to apply my faith as an excuse for bigotry and hatred. besides, congratulations for no longer attempting to shove the Divine right into a one-length-suits-all container.

Answer 7

You pose a very good question.

But may I add to your list British jobs lost due to companies employing cheap labour abroad.

Yes, this should stop

Well done for asking this question.

Answer 8

Because this government is only too happy to sell us all out, and has made a very good job of doing so, it is the only thing that they have made a good job of.

Answer 9

It's happening because of globalisation and there is nothing me, you or anyone on Yahoo Answers can do to stop it.

Answer 10

the door swings both ways!