Having been put on hold due to last year’s General Election, the petition to elect a dedicated UK Minister for Manufacturing has been relaunched. UK manufacturing is the backbone of the UK economy contributing over £217bn. Businesses within the UK supply chain, the majority of who are SMEs, are the life blood and foundation of British industry.
And yet, we’re still waiting for the much anticipated Industrial Strategy (following the recent announcement of delays), no SME representation on the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, and no experienced professional to represent the sector within government.
We are facing unprecedented challenges again with little, or no, government support or recognition of the issues faced by the sector, and the barriers to growth being created by this lack of focus at the very top level.
That’s why we are getting behind Andrea Wilson’s campaign for a Manufacturing Champion to be selected and appointed to fight our cause and direct a real change in policy, from the inside of government.
The petition reads as follows:
What are we asking for?
We have asked the government to appoint a manufacturing industry expert to champion industry needs.
What do we want the government to do and why?
We have called for the government to appoint a highly experienced, respected and trusted industry expert to represent manufacturing businesses and champion their needs. We feel this would fortify the sector, stimulate GDP growth and demand across industries and strategically foster economic prosperity.
What do we think this will achieve?
We believe dedicated engineering and manufacturing industry representation in the government, both OEM & SME focused, will positively impact the delivery and impact of the Industrial Strategy and Advisory Council, and ensure more effective and relevant policies on:
- Stimulating demand, economic growth and job creation
- Crisis management and SME supply chain resilience
- Education and skills
- Innovation, technology and R&D
- International trade and export
- Sustainability, green manufacturing and regulatory support
We have faced the same challenges repeatedly for over 30 years – a lack of suitable support, continuing skills shortages, lack of technical training resource available and ever-increasing costs.
We are at a critical juncture with the new Labour government, and it’s essential that our industry, and our SMEs, have a voice that is heard loud and clear.
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