Though long predicted by industry pundits, it still came as a shock when Ford announced its intention to sell Jaguar and Land-Rover. This is the sad state of our remaining British marques: now they are second-strings for global manufacturers with no particular allegiance to this country or its workers, and when their financial state is parlous, its inevitable that they will put their home brands and staff first. Land-Rover is profitable and successful, despite recent negative publicity towards gas-guzzling 4x4s much of which is misguided