Unite, the UK’s leading union, has welcomed as ‘first steps’ reports that the Treasury will be maximising use of fiscal rules for investment and the government’s plans to change public procurement rules to boost British jobs.

Unite has long called for the government to both review the fiscal rules so it can borrow more to invest and to use its vast resources to back UK workers and industry when awarding public spending contracts. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has long been campaigning for both fiscal rules to be maximised and for a “buy British” procurement policy to back workers, jobs, growth and national security.

“The two announcements today on procurement and fiscal rules are important first steps to putting workers and jobs at the heart of government plans.

“Unite will continue to campaign for more areas of the British economy to be designated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) areas. This would allow us to have clear ‘buy British’ obligations that don’t clash with international trade rules, so that for example all UK infrastructure projects would have to use UK steel, a move that would be both good for jobs and the economy.” 

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.