Defence deal brings much-needed boost to region's economy
It is good news indeed that defence giant Rheinmetall has chosen to locate its gun-barrel manufacturing operation in Telford.
Not only will it bring 400 highly-skilled jobs to the site of the former GKN works at Hadley Castle, but it also marks a £400 million investment which will hopefully contribute to the wider economy.
But, even more importantly, it will play an important role in the defence of Britain in an increasingly dangerous world.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, it is probably fair to say that western Europe became somewhat complacent when it came to defence. Military spending is rarely a vote winner, and Britain and its allies assumed that the fall of communism in Eastern Europe would lead to a more peaceful world. And if the worst came to the worst, we could always rely on the United States to step in.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Donald Trump's apparent ambivalence towards Nato make both of these assumptions seem naive.
Britain, like our European neighbours, is going to have to raise its game on defence. If Telford can establish a reputation as a major centre for defence equipment, that can only be a good thing.
Let's hope this contract is the start of many more.
