Although the coalition government has scrapped a number of loan agreements – notably and controversially the £80 million loan to Sheffield Forgemasters – there’s one aspect of Labour’s industrial policy that seems to be staying put: the Automotive Council.
As Tribune reported last year, then business secretary Lord Mandelson set up the council after a select committee report blamed government ambivalence for the failing state of the car industry, which saw over 2000 job losses last year. The purpose of the council is to spur development of low carbon vehicles in Britain and protect the supply chain for the auto industry, i.e. all those parts factories which depend on car factories for their business.
The voice of organised labour is represented – in a minority of one – by the Unite union’s national officer Dave Osborne, who has a seat on the council. It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at their next meeting.
