The prospect of a chaotic Brexit is putting skilled manufacturing jobs and millions of pounds of investment in Milton Keynes North’s local economy at risk, Charlynne Pullen, Labour’s parliamentary candidate, has warned.

The message came as new analysis by GMB, the union for manufacturing workers, shows that the sector employs 4,500 people in Milton Keynes North.

Manufacturing wages and other people are worth £250 million each year to the local economy.

The industry also supports a further 8,100 jobs in the wider economy, including in the supply chain.

Across the South East, manufacturing employs 251,000 people generating payments worth £13.9bn to the economy each year, and a further 451,800 jobs are supported in the wider economy.

One in five manufacturing employers plan on cutting jobs after Brexit, according to a 2018 survey, and the Bank of England recently warned that in the past months ‘investment intentions fell sharply in manufacturing, mostly due to Brexit uncertainty.’

Commenting, Charlynne Pullen said: 

“These figures show what is at stake in the European elections. Manufacturing is a crucial part of the local economy – it is too valuable to risk throwing away through a chaotic Brexit. We should be investing in manufacturing, not running it down.”

Charlynne Pullen continued:

“MK North MP, Mark Lancaster, voted against stopping a no-deal Brexit on the 13th March 2019, and has consistently supported the deal that will leave Britain worse off. That’s why Labour is the only party that is campaigning on the basis of rebuilding British manufacturing and taking a chaotic Brexit off the table.”

Jude Brimble, GMB National Secretary for Manufacturing, said:

“The prospect of a chaotic Brexit is sending a chill throughout manufacturing. We have already seen job losses and paused investment in foundational industries such as food manufacturing, car production and ceramics.”

She concluded:

“The situation will only get worse if we end up with a rushed and disorderly Brexit. That’s why it is vital that politicians from all parties rule out a no-deal Brexit that would be devastating for our manufacturing and export industries.”