Re Larry Elliott’s article (How can Britain regain its manufacturing power?, 5 February), the basis for the revival of our manufacturing industry requires first a shift in attitude that brainwork is superior to manual labour.
Changes to the curriculum are needed so that technically oriented students can pursue courses that are a first option rather than second best. Part of my training as a designer-pattern cutter involved a placement in a factory, an experience now rarely available to fashion students. In the 1980s, the government set up the Enterprise Allowance Scheme to encourage innovation, but there was no follow-on support to encourage production; successful entrepreneurs had to apply for personal loans from banks, limited to the value of their houses.
I wanted to be part of a trade mission to Germany so I could follow up export inquiries, but I was told my business was too small. I had a unique product with distinctive English characteristics and the quality to command prices that would yield a good profit, and I did sell individual items to foreign visitors, but lacked the necessary weight to impress the Department of Trade officials. Increasing domestic sales indicated that I had the right product, but the margins would never yield the amount of investment needed. Government action is vital before it is too late.
Interestingly, President Macron is heavily promoting Made in France.
Jill Fitzgerald-O’Connor
Ploërdut, France
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