Winter Wonderland

Ask most blokes what they know about Sweden and you usually get one of two things: an animated description of a curvy blond that looks like someone trying to shape an enormous hour-glass on a potter's wheel, or an impression of the chef from the Muppet Show, that sounds like someone with their head in a bucket. What they don't often say is that Sweden is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and despite such a harsh climate, it is not suffering quite like the rest of us .

In many ways Sweden is similar to the UK: a large percentage of its workforce is employed in the public sector, it has high taxation, and despite being in the EU, it has remained outside the Euro. But that's were the similarity ends because Sweden has a large GDP, it exports more than it imports (a situation long forgotten in the UK economy) and it has many international manufacturing companies (including Volvo and Saab/Scania). Sweden can suffer from some pretty harsh temperatures in winter (down to -40^o C in some areas) but just like the country doesn't seem to be effected too severely by the global economic climate, it doesn't appear to suffer from the weather either; in fact it seems to benefit from it.

Every time I read about the exploits of transcontinental and Middle Eastern drivers, watch Destination Doha on DVD or look at the resale value of some trucks, I'm reminded of why we see so many Scanias and Volvos on the road – and no Leylands. If Scania and Volvo trucks can operate in temperatures so extreme at one end of the spectrum, they can presumably survive the other; If they can endure those rock hard winter logging roads, the desert must be a doddle. It's no wonder they do so well on ordinary work, and have such a following. Sweden does have natural resources that help with the balance of payments but it's quality products like these, and a tough attitude towards a diverse economy that has really created success.

Sweden is not dissimilar to the UK in that it has produced the machinery needed to build a developed world; the difference is that we no longer do. Where we have totally succumbed to the philosophy, 'let the market decide' and allowed so much of our major industry to go to foreign ownership - and in too many cases seen it closed by the new owner - Sweden has retained control of its factories. And although it's true that a number of Swedish companies operate overseas manufacturing sites, where labour is cheaper, home ownership still means that decisions are presumably made in Sweden's best interest and not that of an overseas economy.

Sweden's banking system went through the mill in the 1990s and emerged stronger, hopefully ours will too. Like Sweden, we have brilliant scientists, engineers and innovators, and we can make quality products. All we need is a government that can think beyond the service industry, encouraging a diversity of economy that will not just protect jobs but create them, lead to exports and exploit the demand for machines and technologies in the gowing economies of India and China. They stood up and kept us out of the Euro in the interest of our financial sector; now winter's come it's time to come out fighting for a change in the whole climate.