[raesene6]

I think that the main part of the problem is the sales are to foreign companies.

Many companies tend to focus efforts in their home countries and there's always a risk that a foreign acquisition will see its operations downsized in their native country and moved either to the home country of the acquiring company or to a low-cost cost location.

Also from a tax perspective, foreign companies don't generate as much revenue for the British government, so every time one is purchased by a foreign company that's more long term tax revenue lost.