At a conference on Britain's future energy needs today, Derek Simpson joint general secretary for Unite will warn that under the Tories Britain would lose out on at least 10,000 skilled manufacturing jobs because David Cameron has no industrial policy for supporting British manufacturing.

Unite believes Britain's energy needs create huge opportunities for UK engineering. The UK could become a global supply chain player, providing equipment and components for all major energy projects including new nuclear, clean coal, carbon capture and offshore wind power.

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Mr Simpson welcomed the Labour government's announcement last week to invest in Sheffield Forgemasters by giving the company an £80 million loan for manufacturing equipment for the nuclear industry. The investment is an example of how the Labour government is prepared to support British industry but warns that crucial investment to support the UK's energy needs is under threat from the Tories who have no industrial policy to support UK manufacturing when Labour is making ‘industrial activism’ a key element of its economic policy.

Unite, Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "British manufacturing is on the cusp of a revolution, Labour is making industrial activism a key element of its economic policy but the Tories plan is to do nothing. Under Cameron the UK will lose out on 10,000 new manufacturing jobs. Our energy needs present opportunities to create thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs, if we play our cards right. Labour has already shown it is prepared to support British manufacturing."

(CD/GK)