The BBC caught my eye with a recent article on the possibility of a UK spaceport.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18114439. This is a nice idea but I doubt we have any near term use for it.
What we really need is a government effort to develop the worlds first space elevator. The first country to do this will have a monopoly over the space industry as it should reduce the cost of sending objects into space by 95%. Not to mention all the patents and intellectual property that could be profited from.
If the UK decided to do this it could create many jobs. Suddenly the world would be sending all their material and technology here that they want sending into space. It would establish the UK as the leaders in a new field. I'm sure it would go a long way to sorting out the UK debt crisis in the long term ...
Spaceport