The Red Barons quote was aimed at NATS looking to expand and subsume some of our close airspace neighbours, not for NATS to be 'bought out' by someone else.
I stand by my comment, no matter how simplified the ATM system to operate the complexity of UK airspace is such that training and validation of controllers will always be a long and involved process. Its people who drive the ATM system and make it work, not vice versa.
BD