Supporting British manufacturing starts with awarding local contracts

Investing in businesses and firms at home will support British jobs and help our communities recover post-pandemic, writes Stephanie Peacock

‘The UK’s strict manufacturing standards and a commitment to workers’ rights will reassure consumers and help communities recover’ (Getty Images)

Britain has a long and proud history of being a nation of innovators and producers of high-end luxury goods. From our proud heritage as a mass-producing industrial superpower, to our more recent history as manufacturers of bespoke, high-end consumer goods and state of the art military equipment, the phrase “Made in Britain” has often been synonymous with a level of quality and excellence unmatched around the globe.

Our departure from the European Union means our economic model will change, bringing new risks and new opportunities. But instead of looking backwards we must look to the future and take this opportunity to not just reimagine and redefine our global brand but depart from the status quo and set out a new approach that invests in Britain. 

Our task in the coming years should not just be about ensuring British business is given the opportunity to explore existing and new global markets but that public money is used to invest, prioritise, and equip British manufacturing to help revive our once thriving local economies. 

The Covid-19 crisis has caused mass upheaval throughout our towns and communities. Our already struggling high streets will be changed far quicker than previously expected. From the former giants of our high streets such as Debenhams and Topshop (to name but a few) to small, independent businesses, no one will emerge from this crisis unaffected.

The recovery will be long, but as we come together and rebuild it is vital, that wherever we can, the British government adopts a new approach that prioritises investment in British business and our local economies – something the Tories have failed to do in more than a decade of power. 

Labour wants to change this and we are urging the government to adopt a new approach that would work within existing rules, to include stronger guarantees to buy British when it comes to rewarding large scale public contracts. 

Whether it be a failure to use British steel for key infrastructure or failure to guarantee British firms an opportunity to work on key defence projects, this government has consistently let down British industry and has opted to take the cheaper approach. 

Too often the government has looked offshore instead of prioritising and rewarding British based firms that support British jobs in local communities. 

“Levelling up” has been a phrase frequently thrown about by this government with the hope that it will rebalance our economy by bringing jobs and investment to communities such as those in my constituency, the former industrial and ex-coalfield community of Barnsley East. The reality is that this concept is nothing more than a slogan from the government. 

Labour’s buy British approach is different, we want to prioritise British jobs and keep investment and money in our local communities. This is the best way to ensure communities like Barnsley are world-leading manufacturing hubs where our local businesses thrive, and our high streets prosper. With Cop26 around the corner, we have an exciting opportunity to promote and develop local green jobs to help boost our communities and save our planet. 

Keeping the manufacturing process as local as possible also ensures that producers have complete control over every aspect of production, from product development, design, and then fabrication. This local investment will incentivise consumers to buy British, and will help local economies to prosper post-pandemic.

The UK’s strict manufacturing standards and a commitment to workers’ rights will reassure consumers that whatever product they purchase will be of a high basic standard and that people in all parts of the production line will have been paid fairly for their work and skill.

It’s time for a new approach. So as our country looks to recover and rebuild from Covid-19 and as we embark on a new journey outside of the EU, let's back our manufacturers and our local economies by buying British and help bring the real “levelling up” that our communities so desperately need. 

Stephanie Peacock is the Labour MP for Barnsley East