Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

British Businesses Urged to Pull Out of China

‘Bring the Jobs Home!’ – says the Campaign to Keep Manufacturing in Britain

British politicians and business leaders must end their infatuation with China – according to British Made for Quality (BMFQ), the campaign to keep manufacturing in Britain.

With the eyes of the world on the brutal regime in Beijing, BMFQ is calling for British companies to pull out of China and bring tens of 1000's of manufacturing jobs back home to the UK.

“China is synonymous with repression, state secrecy, corruption, poor working conditions, low standards and a total disregard for safety,” says BMFQ director Andy Smith. “But the regime has succeeded in luring 100's of British manufacturing firms to China with the promise of tax incentives and low production costs.”

Smith accuses the UK government and employers’ organisations such as the Confederation of British Industry of “collaborating with Beijing” by encouraging British manufacturers to move their production to China. This has led to the loss of tens of 1000's of UK manufacturing jobs.

“This love affair with China must end,” says Smith. “All it has done is to put British people out of work, wreck what’s left of Britain’s manufacturing base, and provide new income streams for corrupt Chinese government officials and the super-rich of Beijing, Shanghai, Hongkong and Guangzhou.

“And while the ‘fat cats’ get even richer, over a billion Chinese people are still struggling to survive on a dollar a week. No wonder the quality of Chinese-made products is so poor, and their safety standards – both for the people in their factories and the products they manufacture – are so low. It is scandalous.”

British manufacturers who have shifted their production to China will soon be stung, however, as production costs there are set to soar by between 20 and 30 %. Meanwhile, the UK’s balance of trade suffers as our manufacturing industries decline, leaving us dependent on increasingly expensive foreign imports.

BMFQ is an alliance of British manufacturers calling for a ‘Buy-British’ policy to protect UK jobs and safeguard the nation’s manufacturing and engineering skills.

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Media enquiries: Andy Smith: 07737 271676, or John Brough: 07711 038129