Whoever wins this week’s General Election, the political parties must move on from “blame-driven politics” and demonstrate that they have real vision and ambition for the UK economy, said manufacturers’ organisation Make UK.
The call came in the document Backing Manufacturers: The Makers Manifesto, in which Make UK sets out its post-election priorities, adding that the last few years had been “largely wasted”.
The organisation recognises that Brexit will remain the initial focus, and that “the overriding immediate priority for the next Government must be to come to an agreement with the EU which is the basis for a future trading relationship”, for which it sets out four key tests. Make UK says it must provide for frictionless trade, regulatory alignment, access to labour, and a lengthy transition period that allows business time to adapt to change.
The organisation adds that it is “highly unrealistic to assume a trade deal could be negotiated and ratified by December 2020”.
Make UK chief executive, Stephen Phipson, said: “Beyond that, what the public and business want to see is not the narrow-minded, blame-driven politics we have witnessed in the last few years but a grown-up vision of where we are going as a country and an economy. They want to see pledges that will support the creation of skilled jobs, equip their children with education and skills for the future and anchor value-creating businesses in the UK.”
He said “the last few years have been largely wasted” and called for immediate policies to boost investment, support growing businesses, improve skills and create jobs.
Make UK published a top 15 priority list for the first year of the incoming government, and said the longer-term aim should be to improve productivity and secure real wage growth. The next government should set “an ambition for measurable improvements in productivity relative to international competitors” and a marked improvement in the UK’s trade performance.
The 15 immediate priorities include reform of the Apprenticeship Levy; increased support for exports; an assurance of sustainable funding for STEM subjects; the creation of “credible vocational routes” for young people; action on cybercrime; a rethink of immigration to policy to make sure manufacturers have access to skills; and implementation of the Made Smarter review.