10/03/10 - 95,000 manufacturing jobs lost under Labour in the North East

95,000 manufacturing jobs lost under Labour in the North East

New figures uncovered by the Conservative Party show that 94,857 manufacturing jobs were lost in the North East between June 1997 and November 2009. Additionally, the number of advanced manufacturing jobs in the region, a key medium to hi-tech sector for which figures are available, fell by 56 per cent in that time.

Recent figures have also shown 1.7 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the UK since 1997 and that the industry declined by over 9.3 per cent of GDP between 1997 and 2009, the largest decline under any government on record.

This news comes after the Conservative Party welcomed a report from Sir James Dyson, providing advice to the Party on how to make Britain Europe’s leading hi-tech exporter.

Commenting, Shadow Business Secretary Ken Clarke said:

"Labour has devastated manufacturing in Britain. Gordon Brown once promised to revitalise the industry, but the figures show he failed. 95,000 jobs have gone and the sector has declined by a record level. This has been a tragedy for the North East, an area with a proud manufacturing tradition.

"We need to rebalance the economy away from Labour's over-reliance on financial services towards high tech investment and exports. That is why we will cut corporation tax rates, simplify the tax system and support high tech innovation. British manufacturing cannot afford five more years of Gordon Brown making things worse. Only the Conservatives have the energy, leadership and the ideas to make Britain open for business again.''