Last week's poll: Protecting UK strategic industries

Last week's poll was predicated by government proposals to prevent manufacturers in strategic industrial sectors from being bought by foreign interests.

The proposals apply to manufacturers in two sectors: the ‘dual use’ and military sector, whose products are already subject to export controls; and companies involved in the design of computer chips and quantum technology.

The government can intervene when the annual turnover of the target company is above £70m — this limit will be reduced to £1m — and if the proposed takeover or merger increases the company’s share of UK supply to 25 per cent or over. More information on the proposals can be found here.

Of the 320 votes, just under half (49 per cent) thought that such protections are overdue, followed by a third of the vote who thought additional sectors should be afforded such protection.

Of the remaining 18 per cent of the vote, 11 per cent thought that the UK isn’t in a position to reject inward investment, four per cent thought the proposals to be sufficient and three per cent couldn’t find a fit with their view.