Business secretary spells outs manufacturing vision in Rotherham

Mr Umunna was one of the speakers at the Global Manufacturing Festival at Rotherham’s The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) on Wednesday, when he said his party was committed to building a strategy for “sustainable and balance economic growth”.

He said Labour would stick with parts of current Coalition policy on industry, including those affecting the automotive and aerospace sectors and pledged that an incoming Labour Government would carry a five-yearly review on innovation support in the UK and how all the strategies for manufacturing support are working.

“Our challenge is to build an economy that is home to more companies who are creating good jobs at home and succeeding in export markets around the world,” he said.

“In this economy, our success is interdependent — together we rise, and together we fall.”

Mr Umunna also talked about Labour’s Agenda 2030, which aims to improve living standards through economic growth.

“It’s a plan to reform our economy over the long-term, so that it delivers more sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth,” he said.

“Our Agenda 2030 is about creating the right platform for people to make the most of their potential and achieve their aspirations.”

Mr Umunna — who shared the stage at the AMRC Training Centre with Jaguar Land Rover’s Mike Wright, said Labour wanted to raise pay at the bottom, increasing the number of well-paid jobs that offer “a purpose and a future” and make it easier for people to start a new business.  

Visitors to the GMF also included a Canadian oil and gas delegation, a 24-strong group of Chinese representatives and buyers from the HS2 railway project.