‘Divorced from reality’

UK manufacturing output fell by 0.4 per cent in October from the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found.

These figures compared with a 0.9 per cent increase seen in September. Manufacturing output was 0.1 per cent lower than in October a year ago.

A survey by industry group the EEF said UK manufacturing was suffering from the ‘gathering gloom’ of the global economy.

The ONS said the level of industrial production was still almost 9 per cent below its pre-recession peak reached in early 2008, while manufacturing output was 6.1 per cent below its peak.

Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke said the figures were further proof of the government’s failure to create a strong, manufacturing-based economy.

“George Osborne’s claim to have a long-term economic plan to rebalance the economy is becoming more and more divorced from reality as the UK’s steel industry heads for crisis and manufacturing contracts,” he said.

“With manufacturing shrinking and still 6.1 per cent below its pre-recession peak, it is blindly clear that government’s approach isn’t working,” Burke added. “Blaming months of feeble figures on global headwinds will not wash with steel and manufacturing communities across UK.

“When global conditions get tough then domestic governments must play their part by stepping up with an active industrial strategy that supports UK jobs and industry.”