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Articles about ‘Jobs, business & economy’

THREATENED CLOSURE OF GKN AEROSPACE KINGS NORTON

In PMQs today, I asked the Prime Minister to tell Melrose PLC she expects them to abide by the spirit and letter of the promises they made last year to back UK manufacturing, and not reduce GKN’s capacity as a defence contractor:

Best Small Shop Competition

Small and independent shops in and around Northfield are an important part of the character of our local area. They provide employment for many local people and are a vital part of our economy locally.

So I am asking Northfield’s small shopkeepers to enter the Best Small Shops Competition 2018 which celebrates the creativity of small shops and the central role they play in their local communities. I would also encourage local residents to consider the contribution that small shops make to their local community by making their favourite shopkeepers aware of how they could take the prize of Britain’s Best Small Shop.

The competition is open to any small shop operating in the UK and is free to enter. Shopkeepers can nominate their business until Sunday 9th September via www.bestsmallshops.co.uk. A panel of representatives from the independent retail industry will then shortlist 25 of the most impressive applications who will be invited to a Parliamentary Reception to crown the Best Small Shop for 2018.

Small shops are part of what makes our area tick and it would be great to see some local business from Northfield receiving the recognition they deserve at the national level.

Lobby of Parliament by GKN workers

Today I joined GKN workers at a lobby of Parliament organised by UNITE the Union to call on the Government to intervene in the hostile takeover bid for GKN by the Melrose company. GKN are one of Britain’s oldest and largest engineering companies making automotive and aerospace components. The GKN Aerospace plant at Kings Norton makes specialist aircraft windscreens .

Along with the GKN workers I met today and the company itself, I am extremely concerned that, if the Melrose takeover goes ahead, the likelihood is that GKN would be broken up and various units sold off to different buyers over time. Not only would that be bad for jobs in the Midlands and elsewhere, it would be bad for the UK’s key aerospace and automotive sectors as a whole. Indeed, GKN Aerospace’s strategic role as a defence contractor making components for military aircraft mean that the takeover also raises issues of national security.

Industry analysts have already observed that a hostile takeover bid like this would not be allowed in other European countries like France or Germany, and it once again underlines why the laws governing company takeovers here in the UK need urgent reform. Even under our current laws through, Ministers have powers under the Enterprise Act 2002 to call in takeover bids which raise national security concerns, to safeguard the public interest. The clear message from today’s lobby is that the Government must use those powers and intervene to safeguard national security and the future of GKN.

Professor David Bailey of Aston Business School has published a series of articles in the Birmingham Post about the Melrose bid for GKN. You can read them here – https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/authors/david-bailey/

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Statement on Carillion liquidation

Undoubtedly there is great concern regarding the impact that Carillion’s liquidation will have on people and businesses in the West Midlands. It is vital that an urgent assessment is conducted to assess the impact of Carillion’s liquation on our region. I have been in close contact with Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member for Jobs and Skills, Brett O’Reilly and to consider what steps can be put in place to minimise the impact on Birmingham City Council and service users.

I fully support Councillor O’Reilly’s request for Government assistance in co-ordinating a response to mitigate the impact on residents and the local economy. The Government have serious questions to answer about why it continued to award Carillion contracts even after it became clear that Carillion were in serious financial difficulty and must do all that it can to ensure that employees, taxpayers and pension fund members are protected.

October Newsletter

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Welcome to my latest Parliamentary newsletter. This covers local issues and developments as well as my actions in Parliament. As ever, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me on these or any other issues.

Best wishes,

Richard

 

In Birmingham Northfield

Boundary Review

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The Boundary Commission published their proposals for changes to Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England. Under these proposals, Birmingham would be set to lose one Parliamentary seat overall. There would still be a constituency called Birmingham Northfield, but it would be very different to the current one. Read more