ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the ties between British Leyland (BL) and the National Enterprise Board (NEB). BL was by far the largest ailing firm transferred by the government from the Department of Industry to the Board. There is virtually no disagreement about why BL was doing so poorly in 1974. In December 1974 the government had Donald Ryder do a study about the prospects of BL. His report suggested that BL should, by increasing car output and sales, avoid having to reduce its workforce. The NEB’s takeover certainly was not accompanied by any sudden BL recovery. Sir Donald Ryder visited BL plants personally and urged workers to help improve the company’s situation, but with no tangible results. In early 1978 Edwardes drafted his first plan for the future of BL, which was accepted by the NEB and Department of Industry.
