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News Release 13th November 2003NEW AND INCREASED ROLE FOR MICHAEL FABRICANTMichael Fabricant, appointed back in June by Iain Duncan Smith as the Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry, has been appointed Shadow Minister for Economic Affairs by Michael Howard and Michael has been given new responsibilities. His enlarged brief - just announced - broadly includes the previous position he held shadowing the DTI, but now also includes some areas of taxation covered by the Treasury. He will also be responsible for campaigning across three shadow departments: the DTI, the Treasury, and the Department of Work and Pensions. "I suppose I should regard this as quite a promotion" says a delighted Michael Fabricant "as it includes a number of new responsibilities. Under the innovative set-up initiated by Michael Howard, there is now greater flexibility between shadow Government departments. It makes great sense that I now have influence over taxation policies affecting UK industry. "The Government is always claiming that it is 'joined up'. Midlands businesses know full well that it is not. Gordon Brown notoriously does not consult other ministers. The extra 1% on employers' national insurance, which has lost thousands of manufacturing jobs in the west midlands, is a good example of that. Michael Howard's new departmental structure overcomes this. "There is a major role for manufacturers in the UK as well as for the sunrise industries. Although manufacturing jobs were lost in the 80's as inefficient companies fell in the face of foreign competition, those days are largely over. My job is to ensure that lean and mean manufacturers are allowed to flourish" Michael adds. |
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