Dawn Butler MP

Dawn on a visit to the McVities Factory, based at Park Royal, in 2018 |

 The prospect of a chaotic Tory Brexit is putting skilled manufacturing jobs and millions of pounds of investment in Brent Central’s local economy at risk, Dawn Butler MP has warned.  Analysis undertaken by the GMB, the union for manufacturing workers, shows that the sector employs 6,000 people in Brent Central. Manufacturing wages in Brent Central are worth an estimated £284 million each year to the local economy.  The industry also supports an additional 10,800 jobs in the wider Brent Central economy, including the supply chain.  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, Dawn said: 

“These figures show what is at stake in the European elections. Manufacturing is a crucial part of Brent’s local economy – it is too valuable to risk throwing away through a chaotic Tory Brexit and our local community will be badly affected.     “We are blessed in Brent to have the manufacturing hub Park Royal, the largest business park in the UK, which not only supply’s one third of all food consumed in London but provides tens of thousands of jobs for the local community.     "We must do our upmost to protect these jobs, many companies are already beginning to feel the adverse effects of Brexit. That’s why Labour is the only party that is campaigning to ensure we continue to support British manufacturing and take 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.     “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.”