14/07/2013 Sunday Politics West Midlands

And in the Midlands: The question that will decide the destiny of our

generation and many more. What did lenders be better in or out of the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2247 seconds

I'm Patrick Burns. Our guests today both had highly successful careers

before entering Parliament three Stourbridge, recently promoted to

the Prime Minister's inner circle, the Downing Street Policy Board.

Jack Dromey was Deputy General Secretary of the Transport and

General Workers Union, and its successor union Unite, before

becoming Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington and Shadow Housing

Minister. And the redefinition of Labour's

relationship with their union paymasters was enshrined in Ed

Miliband's so-called Clause Four Moment last week, as he battled to

neutralise the Falkirk fall-out by calling for union members to be able

to opt-out of the automatic political levy. Nearer home,

suggestions of union interference in candidate selection were dismissed

by one newly-adopted prospective candidate, who's herself a member of

Unite. She told our reporter Ben Godfrey that the unions strengthen

Labour's democratic credentials. In every constituency, there are

around 10,000 people who are members of trade unions. We want those

members to have a real say in what the Labour Party does and have the

opportunity to have their voice heard. At the moment we do not know

where this people are and we cannot get in touch with them. This is our

chance to get in touch with ordinary people who support us.

interesting point. Surely, when you have a situation where one third of

all the Labour candidates so far selected in the West Midlands are

backed by Unite, that cannot help, can it? IM proud of roots. There is

a time now where too many people are turning off of politics. The idea

that we should cut ourselves off from millions of people is wrong.

Not cutting yourself off, just the influence. It is absolutely right

that the voice of working people should be heard. Ed Miliband was

right that what happened in Falkirk was wrong, and he has acted in a way

to say, we are not going to have it. Turning to the future, I think she

was spot on. I want to see ordinary trade unions involved at grassroots

level. I support Ed Miliband's view, which is that the time has come to

take big money out of politics. On the other hand, we want to see a cap

on donations. The Conservatives had they met -- have said no to that,

and that is because they have God �25 million from hedge fund

millionaires. JCB are clearly a major donor to the Tory Party.

Donations that come from the world of business and individuals into the

Conservative Party do not buy the influence that trade unions by when

they support the Labour Party. There is no doubt, as we have seen in

Falkirk, and not just of there, on a national level, the national

leadership of the Labour Party was determined by the trade unions. In

the conservative member, it is one member, one vote. -- Conservative

Party. When push comes to shove, you are the party of privilege. We are

the party of the people. Not just in the world of work, but in local

communities. The Conservative Party has stood up for those who are rich

and powerful. I totally disagree with that. The Conservative Party is

on the side of working people who want to get on in the world. The

children of those working people who want to do well at school and get on

well in the world. Thank you. Coming up: Be there a referendum or no

referendum, the war of words is certainly hotting up. Europe: In or

out? What would be best for business in the Midlands? We'll have the

arguments for and against a little later.

It's one of the most depressing aspects of the economic downturn.

Unemployment among young people remains stubbornly high. Around one

in five 16 to 24-year-olds are out of work in our part of the country.

But last week did at least bring some more positive indications. One

of our new University Technical Colleges in Walsall, had a visit

from the Duke of York, launching an awards scheme for future engineers

and scientists. And there was welcome news as well about job

opportunities in the Midlands for graduates.

Walsall's University Technical College was set up two years ago.

The colleges were the idea of former Conservative Education Secretary

Kenneth Baker. Their aim, to equip young people with the sort of

technical skills employers in the engineering and manufacturing

sectors need. All these youngsters are going to get a job as a

technician, a qualified technician. There are too many lawyers and

accountants at the moment. These people are going into jobs that will

make real money for our country. Prince Andrew was also on hand to

launch an awards scheme in his name to recognise outstanding achievement

in vocational education. He hopes in time the Duke of York Award will be

seen a hallmark of a quality. very important that young people

should be recognised for a qualification that is second to

none. Elsewhere the Association of Graduate Recruiters released its

annual survey. It shows the number of graduate vacancies in the West

Midlands rose over the last year from 6% to 8%. Black Country parcel

delivery firm DPD is already offering work. We have taken on a

lot of new graduates over the last couple of years. We are getting a

fantastic result from them and they are enjoying what they do. We need

new graduates. But that picture isn't repeated everywhere. That same

survey shows the number of graduate vacanies is actually falling

nationally underlining the patchy nature of economic recovery.

An idea from the 80s. I must say, 14 seems to be a very early age for

those that young people to be having to make a life defining choices

about technology vocational courses. Those young people also gain

education in English, math and science, so it is not sacrificing

academic route entirely. It is a sad central educational base, whilst

continuing with the core subjects. There is still the challenge of

getting the skills through so that our young people can actually

compete for those opportunities and also retain the talent, making sure

we do not just suck in people from elsewhere. It is great news that we

have got more graduate jobs in the Midlands. It is even better news

that we have got more and more skilled youngsters going in for

apprenticeships, vocational learning, because it is not all

about university. That is not the only routes to a successful career.

We had half a million people start to a successful career. We had half

a million people started apprenticeships last year. We want

to repeat that this year and next, and really back vocational learning

as well as higher education. have got to welcome that means, that

graduate opportunities are now running ahead of the general trend

across the country. Any good news in bleak times is to be welcomed.

Another example, a car plant in my constituency, I secured the future

of the factory that was due to close. Now a Jaguar Land Rover is a

success story, and it is wonderful to see that they are recruiting both

graduates and people with technical skills. Indeed, Jaguar Land Rover

were centre stage of the jobs fair that we organised here in Birmingham

last Friday. Of course what you want is good news. We work hard for good

news. On the issue of vocational training, I agree with the point

that you have made, which is that for too long, the emphasis has been

ongoing to university. What we need to do is say to young people, there

is another part. It is a good path it has real career prospects and

earning prospects. I was in the Jaguar Land Rover plans two weeks

ago, and I was taking around this wonderful facility, and there were

12-year-olds who were going around it. Indeed, it has been said to me

by companies in the supply chain, if you want to get women into

engineering, you need to start involving them when they are nine

and ten. From an early age, it is about saying to young people, there

is another path. Thank you very much indeed. And the latest monthly

unemployment figures are due out on Wednesday. So Midlands Today will

have the latest on that, and your BBC local radio station will bring

you the more detailed picture in your own immediate area.

We're devoting the bulk of our time on this, our final programme of the

present series, to the question that could dominate our politics for

years to come: Would we Midlanders be better off in or out of the

European Union? Admittedly, no referendum would ask us in isolation

from the rest of the country. But where do our interests lie, what

outcome would best suit most of us here? We invited leading figures in

our business community to front it up for us, beginning with the case

for getting out. I have been in the manufacturing

industry for 40 years. It was here in Walsall where I first become an

MP, and I went on to run this country -- this company. I am

passionate about manufacturing and thrashing about the West Midlands,

but we are being held back by the European Union, which sees itself as

a utopia. We live in a competitive world. We are like the Titanic. We

are sinking. We have been moving the deck chairs on my manufacturing

life. The survivors are the ones that get off early. We need to get

off now. I am not the only one that thinks so. We can -- one chairman of

a company which finds jobs for 35,000 people have something to say.

League-macro -- Europe sees itself in isolation. That is fine if he

could trade in isolation, but it cannot. To survive, Europe has to

trade with the world, and the world is not as principled as Europe is.

Therefore they undercut us. So there we have it. The European Union is

not fit for the 21st century. It is bureaucratic and unrepresentative

and has an anti-employment legislation. The concerns about

trade are unfounded. It is not -- if they do, that is not a Europe I want

to belong to anyway. I am a director at the Chamber of Commerce, and I

have businesses helping them into export and trade markets. Often,

Europe is the starting point. Why? Trade, that is why. Here in the West

Midlands, we depend very heavily on the European Union in manufacturing

and service terms, and it is not just trade. Think about our

investment into the United Kingdom and into the regions as well. In

fact, to leave the European Union, frankly, would be suicide. This

local business, how important is the European Union into you? In even a

suggestion of us coming out of -- even a suggestion of coming out of

the European Union puts fear into people. How anybody could limit

their cells and put -- themselves and put up restrictions in this

market is beyond me. A recent survey amongst local business -- businesses

has indicated that they want to stay in the European single market. They

understand the benefits of being in the market. The scaremongering is

causing them worry and uncertainty about the future. It is absolutely

key it -- clear to me that's being part of the single market or parts

of the negotiations inside is far better than being on the outside. --

that being part of the single market. We are also joined here

today by and in the -- MEP who was elected as part of two United

Kingdom Independece Party members. Just to pick up the survey that was

being referred to, 60% of local manufacturing businesses think we

should stay in, and only 16% think we should withdraw -- think that

withdrawal would have any positive outcomes. This is a West Midlands

programme, said this is just Birmingham. It is 5 million people.

West Midlands is far bigger than Birmingham. It was not scientific. I

noticed that it was not scientific. If you ask of them, one of the other

questions was, if we could re-Patri eight powers back, would you

consider that positive? Can we re-Patri eight hours? We have heard

from members of the European Union that we cannot. It is not possible.

You need consent monks all 28 member states, including a referendum in

Ireland, and that is not going to happen. The point has been made that

access to this vast single market, and all those thousands of jobs, 60%

of one person's output goes directly into the European Union. We have

heard the their stories. -- we have heard the scare stories. We did not

go into the euro and more money was invested. Here we are, big

businesses with their scare tactics. I am on the employment social

affairs community, so I have lots of dialogue with small businesses who

absolute -- actually employ lots of people, and they do not want more

legislation and they want to get out. That is what big -- businesses

are saying. I do not know what the agenda for big business is. Let's

just ask our two MPs. If she were to have her way and there were a

referendum tomorrow, how would you vote in such a referendum is the

mark -- referendum? I want to vote in a referendum when we have a more

reformed European Union. How would you vote? We have to wait and see

what the situation is like all stop that is not really answering the

question. I am not going to answer a habit medical question. I will. I

would vote to stay in. -- a hypothetical question. The key to

the success has been inward investment. Key to inward investment

is that we are in the European Union. Jonathan was absolutely

right, as was the businessman who is the real voice of business, that

this prolonged uncertainty is deeply damaging, and it is about time that

the Conservative Party but the national interests over the party

interests. My instinctive sense is that, not just in the UK, but in

large members of -- numbers of EU member states, there is a growing

sense of skepticism. People deserve a say. That is all we are offering.

But you are not offering that. You are not offering that. It is

grandstanding. What this is saying to me, and I talk to business on a

weekly basis, they are saying to me that it creates uncertainty. We need

a referendum. If there is going to be a referendum, we need it sooner

rather than later. I am the only MEP and the countries you actually goes

out and speaks to people in the towns and cities, and they are

saying quite clearly that they are sick of this argument and they want

a referendum. They do not trust the Conservatives or labour. -- or

Labour. There are many parts of the West Midlands that are very and

happy about the situation. We have heard that it is riddled with too

much cost and restrictions. certain, there should be a

performer. A much stronger emphasis on, egg -- for example, a growth

agenda. Part of the hidden agenda of the Conservative Party is what they

want to do is to roll back hard-won protections for working people in

this country. For example, the working Time directive. Do we really

want to go back to the days when junior hospital doctors worked 100

days a week? I do not. They talk about uncertainty. They want some

clarity. I think what would be good for business is a reformed EU that

is beneficial to all member states. We are building alliances. I was in

Germany a couple of weeks ago and there was strong support for change

in the you. -- in the EU. A quick word on that. You have all the other

27 member states now having to agree on any treaty change. That simply is

not going to happen. Why does David Cameron think he can do it when all

of the rest are saying no? There are other ways of changing the European

Union. I'm sorry we have to cut this short. Thank you for being with us

here today. Now our regular round-ups of the

political week in the West Midlands in 60 seconds.

UK Coal has gone into administration following the huge fire which closed

Daw Mill colliery in Warwickshire. 350 jobless miners face losing some

of their pension. Save Stafford Hospital campaigners handed in a

50,000 name petition to the government. Staffordshire MPs Bill

Cash and Jeremy Lefroy gave their support. It shows the street -- huge

strength of feeling in the surrounding areas for the importance

of the services that the hospital provides. Former BBC Countryfile

presenter Miriam O'Reilly has failed to become the Labour Party candidate

for Nuneaton. Vicky Fowler was selected after a hard-fought battle.

Up to 300 new jobs are to be created by JCB at a new distribution depot

near Newcastle-under-Lyme. The government's regional growth fund

could contribute �3 million to train staff.

And Jaguar Land Rover launched its latest model in the Cotswolds. It

comes as delivery workers at plants in Castle Bromwich and Solihull

voted to strike in a dispute over pay.

And those delivery workers who play such an important part at Jaguar

Land Rover are actually employed by the distribution company DHL. You

must be pretty conflicted on this as a former Unite leader. Not at all.

If you talk to the management of Jaguar Land Rover, they hold out

their workforce and the role that is being played by Unite as having been

key in trans forming the fortunes of the company. Here we have a dispute

with the delivery drivers. I would urge them to settle, because the

last thing that we want is a strike. Can you understand the

pressure on pay restraint Mister Mark we have seen -- restraint?

agree with Jack, they should reach a settlement and move on and protect

all of those jobs. Are we moving into a stage where the unions are

starting to flex their muscles a bit? There are suggestions of

industrial action coming up. We are moving into a stage where working

people want a fair deal and they are absolutely right. We must leave it

there. My thanks to Margot James and Jack

Dromey. Sunday Politics is taking its summer break, but the political

season knows no bounds these days. The silly season seems a thing of