Labour is promising to create jobs for the North East by supporting the long-term future of key high-tech hubs.
With the roll out a new British Industrial Strategy, which will include ten-year research and development budgets for key institutions, Labour plans to give businesses the stability that they need to support wealth creation, growth and the jobs to power the future in Britain. The Party’s manifesto confirmed plans to scrap short funding cycles for key research and development institutions in favour of the ten-year budgets.
By linking Labour’s plans with the new British Industrial Strategy, businesses supported could include The National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, which hosts one of the world’s largest testing facilities, and will support Labour’s plans to create 27,000 clean energy jobs in the North East. The Centre for Process Innovation in Redcar, Darlington, Newton Aycliffe, Sedgefield and Newcastle, which builds on the North East’s manufacturing heritage to support innovation across the region, could also be included.
Labour has also announced plans to ensure local young people can access opportunities in these high-tech industries of the future, with pledges to:
- Support nearly 2,000 more young people into good education, employment or training opportunities each year by creating new training opportunities and driving high standards at school
- Deliver 60,876 more hours of professional careers advice for young people in North East.
- A new “youth guarantee” of training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all young people, supporting the 47,000 young people in the North East who aren’t in education, employment or training
- Create a new generation of Technical Excellence Colleges will bring new training opportunities including in-demand higher technical skills to colleges in the region
Labour’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said: “The choice at this election is five more years of chaos and decline under the Tories, or stability, opportunity and wealth creation with Labour. After the Tories’ failure to deliver high quality jobs and economic growth for Britain, Labour’s plan will create the stability that is needed for us to lead the world in the industries of the future – creating the kinds of jobs we want for our kids, in the places we live.
“Labour will relight the fire of the North East and drive growth in every corner of the country. You can believe that Labour is committed to tackling regional inequality in Britain because it is in our DNA. For over a century it has been a mission of every Labour Prime Minister to rebuild our economy hand in hand with local leaders so no one is left behind.”