Sooty and Shaggy, the government of the supposedly most market driven country in the world certainly knows how to protect its own. Other than protectionism why is the USAF getting an essentially outdated airframe for its tanker replacement? Or is it that the politicos decided that after nearly 60 years of the KC135, the air force couldn't cope with anything too new?
If perhaps Thatcher and the governments that followed had learned how the US really works instead of just engaging in a love in (please note I'm a regular visitor, have family there and have a great deal of admiration for how they operate) the UK would be in a much better position than now. If the UK leaves the EU just watch the exodus of major corporate investment as tariff barriers, currency controls and all the complicated paperwork kicks in.
Had the UK kept its home owned industrial infrastructure those in favour of withdrawal (I'm not) would at least have something to ensure employment and the provision of home manufactured necessities to back their case.