Rt Hon David Blunkett, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, has called on the Lib Dem/Tory coalition to end the uncertainty surrounding the future of the government loan to Sheffield Forgemasters, after it made fresh announcements guaranteeing support for GM Motors.
Mr Blunkett was responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement that support will be given to Nissan in Sunderland, as well as to Business Secretary Vince Cable’s commitment today to make good a government loan to GM Motors’ Vauxhall plant — both of which were originally put in place by the Labour Government.
Mr Blunkett said: "Salami-slice announcements and divide and rule simply will not do for the future of Sheffield.
"Given that announcements have now been made on Nissan and GM Motors, but that the Government continue to refuse to confirm the future funding for Forgemasters, the coalition’s tactics are clear.
"There is a real danger that the decision to pull the plug on the investment in Forgemasters — and the jobs, creativity and world trade that go with the government loan — will be hidden away in next Tuesday’s Budget.
"There can be no other reason for not putting Forgemasters on a par with the other two major investment programmes which the coalition had frozen and on which decisions have now been made.
"Forgemasters — and Sheffield, the MPs for which include Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg — deserve just as much consideration, confidence and capacity to help the wider local economy."
ENDS
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