EEF poll finds appeal for industrial strategy

EEF, the manufacturers organisation, says there is public backing for a push on industrial strategy, after its polling found that 70 per cent of public respondents believe Britain should be in the top five of manufacturing nations.

It also found only eight per cent of manufacturers believe the British government supports manufacturing, compared to a positive view taken of the German government by 65 per cent.

The polling backs the view of EEF that the creation of a visible industrial strategy will be a crucial component in managing economic change regardless of the final deal with the European Union.

EEF’s push for an industrial strategy, in its forthcoming White Paper ‘Policy Digest – Making the Industrial Strategy Work for UK Manufacturing’, will present ways industrial strategy can match the ambition of manufacturers by providing greater clarity of support for industry as there is in other countries.

Lee Hopley, EEF Chief Economist, said: “The UK is facing a potentially game-changing point as we leave the EU whilst the sector is also on the cusp of massive technological change and grappling with long-term investment decisions. These challenges will continue regardless of what shape the final Brexit deal takes. Industry will have to be nimble in navigating challenges and quickly grasping new opportunities to fulfil public ambition for Britain to be a dominant manufacturing nation.

“The development of an ambitious industrial strategy with cross government buy-in is critical for meeting industrial ambition and the sector wants to work with Government to make this a success. Policy makers must now focus on evolving the positive policy framework set out earlier in the year into clear strategy which gives manufacturers confidence about the competitiveness of the UK in the future.”