Whitby to wave flag for Midland manufacturers ‘World is our oyster’ says ex-city leader as he takes up new role
FORMER Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby has taken on a new high profile role to champion Midlands manufacturing and help the UK attract two million more engineers in the next ten years.
The Midland peer, who ran Europe’s biggest local authority from 2004 to 2012, is the new non-executive chairman of Made in The Midlands a key support group for the region’s manufacturing base.
Lord Whitby called on the Government to recognise the key importance of wealth creators and inventors by elevating their status nationally.
With 300 members, ranging from Jaguar Land Rover to Aston Martin and scores of SMEs, Made in the Midlands aims to support the growth of manufacturers and foster key links with government.
Lord Whitby said the lobby group would play a crucial role in helping the Government establish a new manufacturing blueprint for the nation and rebalance the economy.
In a passionate speech, the peer said “the world is our oyster” postBrexit, with unprecedented opportunities for global trade.
Lord Whitby was unveiled as the new chairman of Made in the Midlands at its launch at Hotel du Vin, in Birmingham, when he told guests the UK was in a state of flux.
He said: “We are where we are but there is a whole world to trade with.
“We believe in the Midlands and we believe in our manufacturing capacity and it is essential that the UK recognises our importance – we should be seen as a major component in complementing the UK’s growth agenda.
“We are the only region in the UK that has a trade surplus with China.
“Some of us in this room are doing extremely well.”
Lord Whitby told the Post : “As the new non-executive chairman of Made in the Midlands, I hope our voice will be heard and influence the outcome of the business strategy that can rebalance the UK’s business model.
“We want the business strategy to recognise and accept the importance of manufacturing to a balanced UK economy.
“June 23 has come and gone and now it is the global economy that is our oyster.”
Lord Whitby said he would use his key contacts with senior politicians including new Business Secretary Greg Clark and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox to champion the region’s manufacturers.
He said: “I will be taking members of Made in the Midlands to meet a range of ministers.
“The UK will need two million
Lord Whitby
engineers in the next ten years and I see no reason why the Midlands, through its history and excellent academic institutions, cannot contribute a significant proportion of those people.
“It is important if we are to attract the calibre of people into engineering that we hold them in the esteem they deserve.
“We have in the Midlands a formidable history of innovation, technology and production. We need more JLRs with the aspiration to be a global player. It is all about skills, technology and aptitude and if we are not careful we will lose that aptitude.”