10,000 manufacturing jobs at risk under Tories warns Unite
24th March 2010
At a prestigious conference on Britain's future energy needs
today (24th March), Derek Simpson joint general secretary for Unite
will warn that under the Tories Britain would lose out on at least
10,000 skilled manufacturing jobs because David Cameron has
no industrial policy for supporting British manufacturing.
Unite believes Britain's energy needs create huge opportunities
for UK engineering. The UK could become a global supply chain
player, providing equipment and components for all major energy
projects including new nuclear, clean coal, carbon capture and
offshore wind power.
Mr Simpson welcomed the Labour government's announcement last
week to invest in Sheffield Forgemasters by giving the company an
£80 million loan for manufacturing equipment for the nuclear
industry. The investment is an example of how the Labour government
is prepared to support British industry but warns that crucial
investment to support the UK's energy needs is under threat from
the Tories who have no industrial policy to support UK
manufacturing when Labour is making ‘industrial activism’ a key
element of its economic policy.
Unite, joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "British
manufacturing is on the cusp of a revolution, Labour is making
industrial activism a key element of its economic policy but the
Tories plan is to do nothing. Under Cameron the UK will lose out on
10,000 new manufacturing jobs. Our energy needs present
opportunities to create thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs, if
we play our cards right. Labour has already shown it is prepared to
support British manufacturing."
The Unite conference entitled ‘Nuclear Energy - Our Present, Our
Future’ at the Royal Society of Arts will be opened by Derek
Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, the keynote speaker will
be The Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP, secretary of state for energy and
climate change. Other contributors include Vincent de
Rivaz, CEO, EDF Energy; Denis Hugelmann, senior
executive vice-president, AREVA; Alan Parker, MD, Energy Solutions;
and Tony Fountain, CEO, NDA.
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
