BUSINESSES in Rugby have called for the next government to set out an industrial strategy for growth at a recent meeting.
Hosting its latest Rugby Local Business Forum at Valiant Serviced Offices, the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce said businesses in the town must be ready to take advantage of any future strategy.
Karen Shuter, chair of the Rugby Local Business Forum, said: “The Chamber is very much in favour of an industrial strategy.
“Businesses want to invest in skills and technology with knowledge and certainty of which direction the country is heading.
“And, on international trade, there is no question that we need more businesses to be exporting as it’s absolutely vital to economic growth. And, it’s not just manufacturers, we want more service-based businesses to look at overseas trade as a viable option for growth.”
Rugby MP Mark Pawsey, who will step down at the General Election on July 4, told the meeting that Rugby Borough could benefit from new markets at home and abroad.
He said: “I’d like to see the next government really commit to an industrial strategy. I understand that governments, sometimes, will make the argument that they don’t want to pick winners, as it were.
“But if a strategy is set out, businesses know what to invest in and what skills are going to be required.
“As part of my role on the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee, I have seen the huge amount of work that is taking place to update the energy system in this country.
“I also sit on the Business and Trade Committee and believe there is much more we can do to sell UK companies overseas. While Brexit has brought challenges in some areas, it has also given us the opportunity to do trade deals elsewhere in the world.
“The transition to net zero and trading overseas have to be two big drivers for economic growth and I believe this region can take advantage of both of those to help grow our economy.”
Contact Sean Rose at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce via [email protected] for more information on Local Business Forums in the region.
