TSR 2

[JBR]

Well, although the current Tories are a useless shower, never forget that the illegal immigration / small boats / no English people being employed on the land, are all problems caused by the 1997 New Labour government.

They caused the illegal war with Iraq which destablised the Middle East.

They opened the borders to the whole of the EU which gave UK farmers an endless supply of £2 an hour workers.

Yes indeed.  BLiar, of course.  In my opinion, our worst PM ever, and he's still grinning all over our TV screens.

[Cassandra]

I have just watched a documentary about the development of the TSR 2 aircraft.
In the 1960s, it was designed and built by the British Aircraft Corporation to, hopefully, replace the V-bombers which were nearing the end of their practical lifespan.  Having said that, at least two of the V-bombers continued in use right up to the Falklands war.

The TSR 2 development went smoothly and, despite the usual problems experienced with any new aircraft design, proved very successful.  Despite running over-budget, it looked very promising and would have been a world-beater, better than anything the Americans had under development.

Unfortunately, no sooner had a new Labour government been elected in 1964, the whole project was cancelled by Wilson.
What made this unforgivable, was that the several aircraft already produced and participating in test and development, were ordered to be destroyed and burnt to the ground!  Presumably, this was to prevent any restoration of the project.

It has also been suggested that the Americans had a part in this cancellation for reasons of their own.  Strangely, they continued to develop an equivalent of their own design, although less able, the F-111.  No-one knows for certain whether the TSR 2 cancellation was down to American influence, or simply the Labour government deciding that they couldn't afford it.

Strangely, although the TSR 2 project went over-budget and may have been cancelled due to that, we now have HS2 continuing unabated despite being similarly over-budget to an even greater extent!  🙄

'General Dynamics' are a very black company indeed to contend with!

[klondike]

Labour governments don't decide they can't afford things. They decide that they don't approve of them. 

October 19, 2023, 08:39:57 PM

BLiar, of course.  In my opinion, our worst PM ever

He is coming up against some strong contenders for that honour though.

[Michael Rolls]

anyone else notice that Liz Truss resigned as PM a year ago today?

[klondike]

Now there there is a notable  PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Records_of_prime_ministers_of_the_United_Kingdom

Spanned two reigns.

Liz Truss holds the record for the shortest unequivocal term of office, at 49 days. She was appointed by Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle on 6 September 2022, and officially resigned as prime minister to Charles III at Buckingham Palace on 25 October 2022. George Canning holds the record for the second shortest term in office, dying in office on 8 August 1827, 119 days after his appointment.