The informative article on how difficult it is to find a plumber (The Argus, February 4) reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a member of this endangered species.

He said: "Mrs Thatcher did me a favour by getting rid of apprenticeships. If I am short of cash, I can work all the hours I need."

This skills shortage is a symptom of our catastrophic industrial decline. When the Tories came to power in 1979, there were 15 million people employed in manufacturing.

Today, it is less than 3.7 million and falling fast. Although Labour has been in office since 1997, it has done nothing to halt this decline.

If we are to continue as an advanced industrial nation, we must revive British manufacturing. It doesn't have to be in decline and, as a nation, we can't all be employed in financial services, double glazing or as attendants in theme parks.

What is to be done? Cutting interest rates is only part of the solution. We lack the necessary investment and have inadequate training and educational facilities for skills.

To misquote the Prime Minister, what we need is investment, investment, investment.

It cannot be argued the resources are not there. They are always available for the military.

Nonetheless, Britain has found only economic weakness in the pursuit of military and imperial strength. Yet still it goes on - witness the build-up for the invasion of Iraq.

-John Hodgson, Capel Avenue, Peacehaven