Chloe Smith meets Mark Garnier

 

 

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, continued her work for constituents concerned about the possible loss of jobs at Britvic and Unilever (Colman’s), by enlisting the help of the Department for International Trade.

 

She met Minister Mark Garnier to hear more about how the Department could identify companies from across the globe who may wish to invest in Norwich. The Department has 178 posts in 108 countries responsible for sourcing demand for the British brand and identifying investment opportunities.

 

Chloe says:

 

“The announcements so far are only at very early stages but constituents are naturally anxious about jobs. I have met the Minister in order to get reassurance that there are more options out there of firms interested in investing in Norwich and supporting British jobs – if that becomes necessary.

 

“The UK government’s aims are to develop trade that works for everyone, to back Britain, and support valuable supply chains. The government’s Industrial Strategy also strongly supports British manufacturing and agriculture which are clearly central to this current issue in Norwich.

 

“This was a productive meeting. I am working across government to get support for Norwich, but first and foremost it is for Britvic and Unilever to make their decisions. I hope they will listen to Norwich’s passionate campaign and stay in our city.”

 

Chloe Smith emphasised that her action is proactive and strictly not at the request of either company, because both are only at early stages of legal consultation with staff (Britvic) or review of operations (Unilever).