Plan, What Plan?

Lord Mandelson has gone to great lengths today to explain why greater links between businesses and our higher education establishments can create opportunities and greater competitiveness for UK business and industry. The fact that our universities are already doing just this and have gained an international reputation for excellence, attracting interest from around the world is an indication of his inexperience and lack of knowledge in this area. What UK business needs is for government to develop a long term plan for the growth of our manufacturing sector, rather than its decline, and that would be helped by appointing someone with some experience of manufacturing industry – but such creatures are rare in parliament.