‘Absolute support’ for Cable’s Industrial Strategy demands

Frontline site managers voiced "absolute support" after the business secretary urged the Prime Minister to deliver a more compelling manufacturing vision. One respondent said: "Give them hell Vince, there is no way on God's earth the country can rely ever again on bankers and service sectors to grow." Nearly a quarter of manufacturers said the regeneration of UK manufacturing supply chains should be the top priority in any industrial strategy. This was closely followed by 19% crying out for higher numbers and better quality skilled workers in the survey of 74 manufacturing managers. One anonymous respondent outlined a strict educational strategy, saying that "government must regenerate manufacturing if Britain is to stand any chance of improving its dire financial state." He suggested that all colleges and universities should have a manufacturing unit by law and that failure to reach certain profitability from industrial courses should impact funding and staff pay. The third most pressing priority was promoting growth in exports and reduction in energy prices or incentives to ensure energy efficiency, with each area receiving 12% of respondents' votes. An anonymous respondent claimed unpredictable energy prices were one of the core issues within British manufacturing. UK manufacturing exports will suffer from the government's "unrealistic and disjointed" energy policy, they warned. Over 80% of respondents called for a cross party industrial vision to ensure greater continuity for the sector. However, one respondent believed the strategy should be agreed by engineers, "who fully understand that profit is not a quick win".