Austerity Put to Flight

In the country whose boffins brought the world the Spitfire, the Lancaster and the R-101, the buccaneering forces of airborne enterprise are demanding intervention from their Stalinist oppressors. Global entrepreneurs are squealing to be nationalised, while major polluters have ordered a £7,000-million bung from the British taxpayer. Of course, there is no question of trying to get something for nothing: plans are afoot to deprive people of their livelihoods, the better to safeguard deserving travellers; although more liberal owners may be satisfied with imposing a month or two of unpaid leave. Having spent all of six weeks wallowing in its new-found impotence at Brussels and Strasbourg, Her Majesty's Government responded by boasting about its influence on the European Commission.