Come clean

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey today (February 10) called on government ministers to come clean over a leaked list dividing British industries into high, medium and low priority in the Brexit negotiations.

The leaked list described as “dynamite” in today’s Times newspaper describes the beleaguered steel industry as a low priority.

McCluskey called on the government to make it crystal clear that the UK’s working men and women will not be the biggest losers from a Tory Brexit.

“The report today that great swathes of UK industry do not make it into the government’s high priority category for the Brexit negotiations will cause tremendous anxiety among working people,” he said.

“Industries like oil and gas and steel ought to sit at the heart of our future plans out of the European Union, not quietly forgotten as other sectors are given top governmental priority.

“These leaks will give truth to concerns that a Tory Brexit is one of rewards for the City of London but neglect for the cities and towns of Britainm” McCluskey added. “They also make a nonsense of the government’s professed desire to develop an industrial strategy to rebalance the economy.  How can this be achieved if our government turns its back on core industries.

“The government must come clean now and make it crystal clear that the working men and women of the UK will not be the biggest losers from a Tory Brexit.”