LABOUR’S Parliamentary candidate for Pendle has described Rolls-Royce’s decision to cut 2,500 jobs as “potentially devastating”.
County Coun Azhar Ali said he was shocked by the announcement that the firm was to axe the jobs “principally” from its aerospace division.
Coun Ali, who represents Nelson South, said: “This is potentially devastating news for advanced manufacturing in East Lancashire and particularly for Pendle. Clearly we do not yet have any details and Lancashire County Council’s economic development team is in touch with Rolls-Royce.
“We have asked for meetings so we can provide support and to find out what impact there will be on our local Barnoldswick plant.
“The Government needs to wake up and smell the coffee and do much more to support advanced manufacturing and aerospace as we cannot afford to lose skilled engineering jobs to the Far East.”
Coun Ali said LCC leader, Coun Jennifer Mein and Martin Kelly, the authority’s director of economic development, would be in ‘continued dialogue’ with the manufacturer.
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