Writing in this week's (August 15th) Bromsgrove Standard, Bradley Thomas, MP for Bromsgrove and the Villages, said:
"As I talk to businesses across Bromsgrove and the Villages, the need to reindustrialise the UK and reinvigorate manufacturing in our country could not be more urgent.
Whilst globalisation has undoubtedly boosted prosperity, it’s also undeniably, over many decades, led to the deindustrialisation of the UK. And whilst the UK has reduced carbon emissions this hasn’t been delivered through great innovation, instead we’ve swapped ‘Made in the UK’ for ‘Made in China’ at the expense of British jobs and skills.
If we want the sustained levels of high economic growth that Governments have been searching for, we need to reinvigorate our country’s manufacturing base.
It first starts with education and ensuring children and young people are learning the skills our economy needs. This must be shaped by businesses – providing them with a pipeline of British talent to help their businesses grow and expand.
We then need to ensure jobs are there for them when they finish school, college or university. To do that we need a Government that understands business and backs risk takers. Whacking up National Insurance for employers is not the policy of a business friendly Government.
We then need a regulatory system that doesn’t over burden businesses with unnecessary red tape that holds them back.
And we need a competitive tax system to make it attractive for businesses to return manufacturing back to the UK from abroad.
Our economy isn't in a good place right now, and local businesses are working hard to weather the storm. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
By reindustrialising our country not only will we create more British jobs for British people, therefore reducing our reliance on mass migration, we will boost our economy – generating more funding for the public services we all rely on.
A better future is possible; it’s just going to take a lot of hard-work, a clear vision and political will to deliver what our country so desperately needs."
