MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence
Secretary, responding to the Government’s
announcement on the UK’s nuclear deterrent, said:
“Labour’s support for our nuclear deterrent is total. It is the
cornerstone of UK national security.
“We welcome the defence nuclear strategy – as we have long argued
for Ministers to secure British jobs in Barrow, across the
submarine supply chain and the wider nuclear sector.
"Barrow must thrive for Britain’s submarine-building to succeed,
so we fully back the aims of the Cabinet Secretary's Barrow
taskforce. But Barrow was not mentioned once in the recent
Budget, and it remains unclear how much new money the PM is
announcing and how many new jobs will actually be created or
filled.
“Britain will be better defended by Labour. We will upgrade the
UK’s deterrent and build the new nuclear and AUKUS submarines in
Barrow. Labour will also make it fundamental to direct British
defence investment first to British jobs and British business.”
Ends
Notes
Number 10 admits the investment will only create 8,000 career
routes to help fill an 'expected' 40,000 new jobs UK-wide:
Number 10's own press release confirms this investment will only
create 8,000 'career opportunities' despite needing to fill an
expected 40,000 new jobs by the end of the decade.
The press release reads: "The Government is partnering
with industry, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, EDF and
Babcock, to invest at least £763 million by 2030 in skills, jobs
and education. The investment will create more than 8,000 career
opportunities to help the sector fill 40,000 new jobs by the end
of the decade – and will support plans to double the number of
nuclear apprentices and graduates and quadruple the number of
specialist science and nuclear fission PhDs."
