Going it alone - but where?

Today's headline commercial news is that Nissan has decided  that the new X-Trail ( a  "family-sized" 4X4 road vehicle) originally planned for its Sunderland plant will instead be made in Japan.  This is in spite of Nissan's assurances given to the government in 2016 that, come what may (or May?) production would remain in the UK.  I can't quite see why we need yet another gas-guzzling 4x4, but if one is to be produced the I'd prefer that British workers and Britain's economy to be the beneficiaries.

About a month ago I read that the firm which  produces Britain's Centurion Tank has been sold to a German (sic) private equity fund. Again, I'd prefer beating swords into ploughshares, but if we're going to produce weapons on quite considerable destruction I'd prefer the profits to remain within the British economy

And a couple of weeks ago London's famous Fulle'rs Brewery was sold to the Japanese beer group Asahi, 
When I was a student in London in the 1950s we had some rather rude things to say about "Fuller'' S**t and Turnips" (it isn't a patch on John Smith's), but again, if Londoners are doomed to drink this stuff, I'd prefer the profits to remain in our economy.


Can there be clearer evidence that, rather than being the "soar-away Britain" of the Brexiteers' imagination, our country is going down the pan?  People with keener eyes on or memories of the business pages can probably cite even more examples.

Last week our MPs' Public Accounts Committee reported that  our  Ministry of Defence  lacked the ability to "accurately cost programmes" and that the shortfall could reach £14.8bn by 2028.  Interviewed on Radio 4, retried General  Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army and now a member of the House of Lords,argued  that Britain should remain in the "top tier" of the world's military powers, so the Treasury should find the money.

Surely the answer is obvious?  Britain can no longer afford to remain in this "top tier" alone, but we could if we pooled our resources and shared the cost with our friends and partners in the European Union.

I have no ideas on  how the rest of the world can help the benighted people of Venezuela, but I'm pretty sure that, in terms of both political influence and material help, the EU acting toghether will have far more clout that the UK on its own.  After all, Spain, an EU member and the former colonising power, hence with both special responsibility and special knowledge, can give the lead.

The evidence accumulates on a daily basis that Britain will be weaker, both economically and politically, outside the EU.  There is still time, but now less than 50 days, to prevent this self-harm