Honda shows why Britain must focus on home-grown talent

Britain does not do enough to encourage its own skilled workers and too much effort has been steered towards foreign investment, writes Chris Blackhurst

Honda has announced plans to close its Swindon plant, putting thousands of jobs at risk (EPA)

As a child, I recall being taken by my father to witness a helicopter that was landing in the town, to bring the Very Important Boss who was flying in to open his new factory.

The facility, complete with landing pad, was on the outskirts, on land that had been made cheap and available by the council. I’d never seen a helicopter before – it was the late 1960s – and the whole event was exciting.