RIP John Scott-Scott. He was one of the greats.

And that, gentle reader, is the story of British innovation writ large. It takes just one visit from a Man from the Ministry.

I remember hearing that on making the recommendation, the permanent secretary or whoever stated "There's no future in satellites". (I expect he had an exemplary record, probably a first class degree from Oxford or Cambridge in classics, or economics, or something like that). I remember well the series of half-hearted investments in aerospace in those years. All politicians became terrified of being criticised for the routine accusation of wasting money, but also 'proved' it by cancelling the previous administration's projects. The above cancellation was under the Heath government, who went on to join with France in investing in Concorde, and joining the EC.

politicians, they make you angry in so many ways.

Great stuff

A crying shame when you think what might have been. Typical of us Brits to 'sort' the science and engineering but then not have the political will to understand what has been achieved, get behind it and commercialise.