Unite: Leonardo contract is a ‘tremendous victory’ for workers across the aerospace sector

The government now to needs to fully publish the Defence Investment Plan and fully deliver on Typhoons and military satellites

Unite, the UK's leading union, which represents tens of thousands of aerospace and defence workers, has strongly welcomed the government's announcement that it has awarded the contract for the new medium lift helicopter (MLH) contract to the Leonardo factory in Yeovil.

The government's decision to award the contract follows a year plus campaign by Unite and its defence members to ensure that the contract was awarded. The awarding of the contract secures over 10,000 highly skilled jobs at Leonardo, its supply chain and the surrounding community.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has been campaigning for this government to buy British defence for over a year because it is vital for jobs, and skills as well as national security.

“The Leonardo contract is a tremendous victory for Unite members in Yeovil and across the aerospace sector. Without their commitment, hard work and dedication, it would not be being signed today.

“Of course, we are pleased that the Rachel Reeves has now listened to Unite on this issue. However, it took way too long to get this done, and we still have to question why workers were left in the dark until the 11th hour.

“Hopefully, the Gorton and Denton by-election will be a wake-up call for the government to start being ‘real Labour' and to deliver for workers and communities. It can start by getting the full Defence Investment Plan published, including Typhoons and military satellites made in Britain.”

Following the announcement of the awarding of the MLH contract, Unite is renewing its call for the government to fully fund the defence investment plan (DIP) and deliver on the prime minister's commitment to provide a British defence dividend.

In particular, as part of Unite's back British workers defence campaign it is calling on:

• The replacement of old RAF fighter jets with new Typhoons, fitted with Rolls Royce engines, equipped with British-built weapons from MBDA and assembled at BAE's sites in Lancashire.
• Provisions for the MoDs Military Satellite Communications System (Skynet) to continue being built in Portsmouth and Stevenage, as it has for the last 20 years.
• The purchase of the A400M military transport plane.

As part of the campaign on Wednesday (25 February) Unite held a rally at Downing Street and handed in a petition of approximately 10,000 people calling on the government to publish the DIP and deliver for British defence workers.