Chuka Umunna: Let's leave EU drawbridge down
Britain should not 'pull up the drawbridge' to the European Union, Labour's shadow business secretary has said.
During a visit to the West Midlands, Chuka Umunna told the Express & Star that membership of the EU opened the door to international markets all over the world.
But he warned the Tories would look to close off the relationship and quell the creation of new jobs by offering a referendum in 2017.
He said: "What our approach does is to open up a worldwide conversation and ensures we remain a member of the European Union.
"The EU is the key which unlocks for this country the emerging markets around the world.
"Rather than looking to pull up the drawbridge, as has been advocated during this campaign by UKIP and an increasing number of Tory government ministers, we need to relax our stance and look to play a key role. It is the key dividing line between us, if we were elected as a government, and the Tory alternative."
Mr Umunna was given a tour around the Gestamp Tallent factory off Wolverhampton Road, Cannock. The car parts firm is a leader in the European automotive industry, founded in Spain in 1997.
He was there to set out Labour's plans for business which it claims would boost productivity and support the creation of high skilled jobs.
He was shown around by Gestamp's UK chairman Ian Middleton and joined by Labour's candidate for Cannock Chase, Janos Toth.
The constituency is one of the key seats in the General Election and was won by the Tories in 2010.
Mr Umunna was shown how to operate a 'virtual welder' training device and spent time examining machinery used to manufacture parts of BMW rear chassis.
Afterwards he talked about the shortage of skills among school leavers and said his party would be working to address it.
Making reference to the Midlands' car making, he said a regional approach would be taken to training and apprenticeships.
He added: "What we need is an approach to addressing the skills shortage which is also sensitive to place.
"Our plans to devolve £30 billion, which is currently spent centrally, into cities and the regions across the country will help deliver that."
