This appears very much as 'French bashing' to me and many will take offense to this constant cultural anti-French sentiment. There is a lot more to the accidents involved.
Maybe, then again those Anglo-Saxons who have lived in southern France for many years are very aware that one should never ever criticise a Frenchman at his place of work (cf. my builders/architect/plumber/electrician).............lovely people socially but utterly beyond criticism - I really really hope that isn't a truely national stereotype - actually I know it isn't but it's there in some folks somewhere.
As for the success of the likes EdF/SNCF - chapeau - no honestly, it's very clever. EdF are screwing the UK bill payer because they can't do the same at home because of legislation and regulation relating to utility bill increases in France. Oh, I do get the impression some Brits in the business community simply don't give a stuff about national pride or strategic interest whereas the French do - some Brits would sell their grandmother to the best bidder, the French would keep her at home and gratefully the tax offset
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