Cllr. Michael Stokes, Leader of Rugby Borough Council statement on GE plans to cut 1,100 jobs

Cllr. Stokes said, "I’m obviously disappointed by General Electric’s plans to cut 1,100 jobs from its sites at Rugby and Stafford. My thoughts are with the hundreds of GE staff in Rugby who now face a period of uncertainty while the company consults on its plans. As a council, we have already started talking with our partners, including the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub and the Department for Work and Pensions, to discuss how we can offer the necessary support to all staff affected by today’s announcement."

Mark Pawsey MP statement of support;

"Today’s news from GE is of real concern and I would like the company’s Rugby staff, and their families, to know that I will be doing everything that I can to support them.

In recent months I have met with representatives from both the company and the local workforce and I will continue to do so over the upcoming consultation period. I have also had a number of meetings with Government Ministers in the Business Department and the Ministry of Defence and have always impressed upon them the need to support the work that GE does within Rugby and how this work benefits many other local businesses in the supply chain.

The GE staff here in Rugby are highly skilled and I know that there will be many other local businesses eager to benefit from their experience and expertise, and who I am sure will offer opportunities to workers potentially affected by this news. There will of course be a consultation period and I am confident that the workforce will make a strong and compelling case for Rugby. I will continue to do everything within my power to ensure that manufacturing jobs are retained locally."