Brexit: £6m fund to support workers at Airbus and Toyota in bid to prevent ‘industrial carnage’

The looming prospect of a Brexit ‘no deal’ will bring industrial carnage in Wales first minister Carwyn Jones will tell the annual Labour conference in Liverpool today.

The Welsh Labour leader will announce a £6m fund to support workers at Deeside based Toyota, Airbus and Ford in Bridgend with the effects of Brexit.

Wales cannot afford a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, Carwyn Jones will tell conference, he will also say:

“The looming prospect of a catastrophic No Deal outcome is down to one thing: the paralysis and incompetence of this Tory Government.

“The Chequers White Paper might have been a viable starting position for negotiations if it had been launched two years ago, before Theresa May sent the Article 50 letter. Not with only weeks of negotiating time left.

In his speech, his last before standing down as Wales first minister, Mr Jones will tell the Liverpool conference a Brexit ‘No-Deal “will bring a new wave of industrial carnage, with a real risk of advanced manufacturing.

It is my first duty as First Minister to do whatever I can to fight against that prospect.”

I must also prepare our country for every outcome.

That is why today I am announcing a further £6 million support through our new EU Transition Fund for workers at Ford, Toyota & Airbus in Wales.

Giving Welsh workers the new skills they need to prepare for an uncertain future.”

In January the Welsh Government announced a £50m EU Transition Fund of ‘tailored support’ for Welsh businesses to help minimise the impact of Brexit.

The fund will also help employers retain and continue to attract EU nationals, who ‘make a crucial contribution to Wales.’