Ellesmere Port & Neston MP, is demanding action from
the Government to support Vauxhall and the automotive sector
ahead of the Autumn Budget.
In a private meeting with the Secretary of State for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, MP; emphasised the strategic
importance of the manufacturing sector and the need for an
interventionist approach from Government if the UK is to compete
with the likes of Germany and France.
He called upon the Government to support the long-standing
aspiration to bring more of the supply chain to Ellesmere Port,
which would reduce costs and boost efficiency, as well as
delivering a number of skilled jobs to the local economy.
In a separate move, Mr Madders has written to the country’s
41 Police and Crime Commissioners to encourage them to procure
British manufactured vehicles. Cheshire Constabulary came
under fire when it moved from locally made Vauxhall Astras to
Hyundais, which are manufactured overseas. He is pushing
for social impact to be given much greater consideration when
purchasing decisions are made.
Commenting, said:
“The Ellesmere Port factory remains of one of the most
efficient of its kind anywhere in Europe, but when we are
competing against other countries, we need more than just a
highly skilled and productive workforce.
“The countries with whom we are competing pull out all
the stops to support their manufacturing industries, including
offering incentives to relocate the supply chain and working with
the owners to optimise the local infrastructure. It’s also
much more common to see the public sector purchasing in a way
that supports local jobs in other countries than our
own.
“Ministers can’t afford to just sit on their hands and hope for
the best any longer, a modern economy demands an active
Government with a positive industrial strategy. I will
continue to press the Chancellor to deliver the measures in the
budget that our local area needs if it is to thrive. The budget
later this month is the opportunity for the Government to show by
its actions, not just words, that it supports British
manufacturing.”
“There is also no escaping the fact that uncertainty
around the plans for Brexit and the chaos at the heart of
’s Government have deterred
companies like PSA from making long-term decisions about their
future. We were promised a Northern Powerhouse, but it
seems to have descended into a Westminster power
struggle.”
