Rhys Davies
@rcdavies.bsky.social
Common culture and community. Believer in manufacturing & interested in productivity. Trade should be balanced & energy should be renewable.
For most of that period, Britain has not run insane trade deficits. Seems like a minor point, but its absolutely critical.
Increase trade is good but only if it is substantially balanced. The UK's prime economic goal *must* be to return to balance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance...
Increase trade is good but only if it is substantially balanced. The UK's prime economic goal *must* be to return to balance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance...
November 21, 2025 at 7:44 PM
For most of that period, Britain has not run insane trade deficits. Seems like a minor point, but its absolutely critical.
Increase trade is good but only if it is substantially balanced. The UK's prime economic goal *must* be to return to balance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance...
Increase trade is good but only if it is substantially balanced. The UK's prime economic goal *must* be to return to balance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance...
Probably would have been better if I'd used the graph from the link
November 18, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Probably would have been better if I'd used the graph from the link
Strongly disagree with this take. The key point is that wage stagnation started well *before* brexit right after the GFC (and for many of the worst off, before that)
That stagnation matches closely the period of high immigration. Brexit barely impacted the trend.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...
That stagnation matches closely the period of high immigration. Brexit barely impacted the trend.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...
November 18, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Strongly disagree with this take. The key point is that wage stagnation started well *before* brexit right after the GFC (and for many of the worst off, before that)
That stagnation matches closely the period of high immigration. Brexit barely impacted the trend.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...
That stagnation matches closely the period of high immigration. Brexit barely impacted the trend.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...
Greater ecological thinking from my car dealership garage, or hopeful signs of a tightening labour market?
November 13, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Greater ecological thinking from my car dealership garage, or hopeful signs of a tightening labour market?
Here's a more instructive graph. You can see that GB's problems set in well *before* Brexit.
Economic stagnation set in right after the Great Crash of 2008, and for many parts of the country, before even that.
Brexit was the consequence, not the cause of the poor economy.
Economic stagnation set in right after the Great Crash of 2008, and for many parts of the country, before even that.
Brexit was the consequence, not the cause of the poor economy.
November 12, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Here's a more instructive graph. You can see that GB's problems set in well *before* Brexit.
Economic stagnation set in right after the Great Crash of 2008, and for many parts of the country, before even that.
Brexit was the consequence, not the cause of the poor economy.
Economic stagnation set in right after the Great Crash of 2008, and for many parts of the country, before even that.
Brexit was the consequence, not the cause of the poor economy.
It really pains me how little recognition Jean Fourastié gets in an anglophone context, given he published a book in 1949 emphasising the primacy of techical progress for economic development.
October 28, 2025 at 8:32 PM
It really pains me how little recognition Jean Fourastié gets in an anglophone context, given he published a book in 1949 emphasising the primacy of techical progress for economic development.
October 5, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Do as Navarro proposed and run a tariff to equalise the UK's horrendous general trade deficit.
The alternative is complete deindustrialisation, something which to date has been a political choice. It needs to end. (Now that the knock-on has reached the LSE the gov may finally act).
The alternative is complete deindustrialisation, something which to date has been a political choice. It needs to end. (Now that the knock-on has reached the LSE the gov may finally act).
October 3, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Do as Navarro proposed and run a tariff to equalise the UK's horrendous general trade deficit.
The alternative is complete deindustrialisation, something which to date has been a political choice. It needs to end. (Now that the knock-on has reached the LSE the gov may finally act).
The alternative is complete deindustrialisation, something which to date has been a political choice. It needs to end. (Now that the knock-on has reached the LSE the gov may finally act).
This 👇
It is genuinely mystifying how journalists in London cannot reflect on the political upheaval, surge in Reform votes in former industrial areas, & collapse in economic contribution from once strong areas like the East & West Midlands.
The UK's version of globalisation is a political choice.
It is genuinely mystifying how journalists in London cannot reflect on the political upheaval, surge in Reform votes in former industrial areas, & collapse in economic contribution from once strong areas like the East & West Midlands.
The UK's version of globalisation is a political choice.
October 1, 2025 at 5:33 AM
This 👇
It is genuinely mystifying how journalists in London cannot reflect on the political upheaval, surge in Reform votes in former industrial areas, & collapse in economic contribution from once strong areas like the East & West Midlands.
The UK's version of globalisation is a political choice.
It is genuinely mystifying how journalists in London cannot reflect on the political upheaval, surge in Reform votes in former industrial areas, & collapse in economic contribution from once strong areas like the East & West Midlands.
The UK's version of globalisation is a political choice.
That graph corresponds to the one that got me most radicalised, and I why I will always believe this impact was not some organic change in the structure of the economy, but quite deliberate policy.
September 28, 2025 at 5:15 PM
That graph corresponds to the one that got me most radicalised, and I why I will always believe this impact was not some organic change in the structure of the economy, but quite deliberate policy.
If the Labour party has abandoned representing or even sympathising with the people in left behind areas, are they really the Labour party? Certainly not the Labour party of old.
September 23, 2025 at 6:26 AM
If the Labour party has abandoned representing or even sympathising with the people in left behind areas, are they really the Labour party? Certainly not the Labour party of old.
A manufacturing capability and balanced trade.
September 19, 2025 at 5:11 PM
A manufacturing capability and balanced trade.
I always wondered why Irish Home Rule was a 30-year battle that overturned politics & ruined careers. Likewise Voting Reform & the Corn Laws. Now I understand.
Farage is the consequence of the refusal of Westminster to implement a policy the voting public want. It was always about boarder control.
Farage is the consequence of the refusal of Westminster to implement a policy the voting public want. It was always about boarder control.
August 27, 2025 at 9:57 PM
I always wondered why Irish Home Rule was a 30-year battle that overturned politics & ruined careers. Likewise Voting Reform & the Corn Laws. Now I understand.
Farage is the consequence of the refusal of Westminster to implement a policy the voting public want. It was always about boarder control.
Farage is the consequence of the refusal of Westminster to implement a policy the voting public want. It was always about boarder control.
I believe she did, although it wasn't advertised as such: max the N Sea oil flow, boost the city, screw manufacturing.
It's not possible to see the outcomes (at a time when balance of trade meant more) without believing they were quite deliberate.
It's not possible to see the outcomes (at a time when balance of trade meant more) without believing they were quite deliberate.
June 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I believe she did, although it wasn't advertised as such: max the N Sea oil flow, boost the city, screw manufacturing.
It's not possible to see the outcomes (at a time when balance of trade meant more) without believing they were quite deliberate.
It's not possible to see the outcomes (at a time when balance of trade meant more) without believing they were quite deliberate.
Why the insults? You asked what you said was an earnest question. I have given you an earnest answer. I have not spent 66% more in May this year than last. Nor do i imagine UK buyers have suddenly gone on a buying spree. So I surmise something else has changed on the supply side.
June 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Why the insults? You asked what you said was an earnest question. I have given you an earnest answer. I have not spent 66% more in May this year than last. Nor do i imagine UK buyers have suddenly gone on a buying spree. So I surmise something else has changed on the supply side.
May 27, 2025 at 7:36 PM
...so made my first visit to Derby Museum. Wright is as good as promised.
May 25, 2025 at 3:08 PM
...so made my first visit to Derby Museum. Wright is as good as promised.
An insightful analysis on GB's housing situation and the challenges the government faces.
Running up the down escalator open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Running up the down escalator open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
May 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
An insightful analysis on GB's housing situation and the challenges the government faces.
Running up the down escalator open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Running up the down escalator open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
This essay may chime for some, but there is an aspect I find hard to accept. Is assigning categories of work to be filled by low paid immigrants ethical? Without a steady supply, these jobs would still be done by Brits, but with better pay & conditions, as they were in the past.
May 16, 2025 at 9:48 PM
This essay may chime for some, but there is an aspect I find hard to accept. Is assigning categories of work to be filled by low paid immigrants ethical? Without a steady supply, these jobs would still be done by Brits, but with better pay & conditions, as they were in the past.
ok, I was thinking of this, a gdp per capita growth rate that can't pick itself off the floor after the mid 2000s.
www.edrith.co.uk/p/britain-is...
www.edrith.co.uk/p/britain-is...
May 12, 2025 at 7:42 PM
ok, I was thinking of this, a gdp per capita growth rate that can't pick itself off the floor after the mid 2000s.
www.edrith.co.uk/p/britain-is...
www.edrith.co.uk/p/britain-is...
Obsessed for a reason. GB runs the worst trade deficit except for the US. This was a domestic political choice and has been devasting to huge parts of the GB Midlands and North (as it has been for the Rust Belt).
It's just good to see someone reject Reagan's matra that trade deficits don't matter.
It's just good to see someone reject Reagan's matra that trade deficits don't matter.
April 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Obsessed for a reason. GB runs the worst trade deficit except for the US. This was a domestic political choice and has been devasting to huge parts of the GB Midlands and North (as it has been for the Rust Belt).
It's just good to see someone reject Reagan's matra that trade deficits don't matter.
It's just good to see someone reject Reagan's matra that trade deficits don't matter.
💯 GB's trade performance had little to do with technology and much more to do with political decisions, first in Thatchers terrible trade experiment and then Blair's reheated interpretation.
If technology were the predominant impact, the curves would be more organic.
If technology were the predominant impact, the curves would be more organic.
April 4, 2025 at 6:18 PM
💯 GB's trade performance had little to do with technology and much more to do with political decisions, first in Thatchers terrible trade experiment and then Blair's reheated interpretation.
If technology were the predominant impact, the curves would be more organic.
If technology were the predominant impact, the curves would be more organic.
In picture from, the reason for the US horrendous and deeply damaging trade deficit, why Trump and his tariffs have any hold in the US, & why in my view, his tariff stance is justified.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
By Efbrazil - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
By Efbrazil - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
March 30, 2025 at 8:54 PM
In picture from, the reason for the US horrendous and deeply damaging trade deficit, why Trump and his tariffs have any hold in the US, & why in my view, his tariff stance is justified.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
By Efbrazil - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
By Efbrazil - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
You're not the only one. Two decades of costing experience in manufacturing and I'm totally mystified even after doing a teardown myself.
Sure, the gov grant inflates prices, but even then...
Sure, the gov grant inflates prices, but even then...
March 26, 2025 at 9:00 PM
You're not the only one. Two decades of costing experience in manufacturing and I'm totally mystified even after doing a teardown myself.
Sure, the gov grant inflates prices, but even then...
Sure, the gov grant inflates prices, but even then...