Todays political post

[sasguru]

Thatcher didn't shut it down. She privatised it and because it was all arse it went to the wall or was bought out. Which shows we were subsidising a dead horse.

British manufacturing isn't dead:

First

Second

Third

Forth

Market factors are to blame for the decline in maufacturing, not Thatcher. Link

Yes but they were privatised too fast without being stabilised. The French stabilised Renault with a lot of patience (things were worse there, the MD was assassinated by a left-wing group!). My point is that Thatcher was more interested in teaching bolshie left-wingers a lesson (which of course they needed) rather than looking to the long-term future. And for that reason she fails my test as a great and visionary leader.
As to your examples, yes there are still pockets of excellence in manufacturing in the UK e.g. aerospace, weapons, pharmaceuticals but much less than there should be.
For about 15 years we have been told that manufacturing is not viable for a western country, yet Germany recently had record breaking exports. It seems our leaders are justifying their decision after the event.

[sasguru]

Read "Fantasy Island" by Larry Elliot & Dan Atkinson.

I have. Makes the point exactly.