As someone who spent my entire time in Parliament supporting Hitachi I am delighted to see last weeks announcements. It’s a real credit to all involved and clearly the primary credit goes to the management and staff. The need to continue Government focus though is only just beginning, whilst my successor would have you think this is all due to him and his party I can’t see anything they actually did so far other than offer verbal support. The contracts gained were open tender and not Government funded.
However, as his Government is on an agenda to renationalise our railways their opportunity is coming fast. Future steps will likely require real Government support in investing in rolling stock contracts to enable Hitachi to bid for (and hopefully win). The contracts so far will not secure the long term future of Hitachi as Kier Starmer has claimed. They are a first step in building the bridge needed to the bigger contracts that are in the long term pipeline but they do not complete the bridge, more are needed. We must not let him think it’s job done.
It is imperative that we all continue to pressure Government to help complete the job. If the PM and my successor actually contribute to that delivery I will be the first to say well done, but, so far, it looks like something that happened on their watch that they are claiming credit for rather than something they have done. We still need them to find that pen and live up to their promises.
Paul Howell
Former MP for Sedgefield.