LETTER: What will 2018 bring for us?

With another year nearly over most of us will be thinking where did 2017 go and what will 2018 bring us?

Just to think we had the EU referendum 18 months ago with Cameron and Osborne thinking it would be a piece of cake.

Only they got it all wrong, just like the snap election that wasted months of precious negotiating time to get the best deal for the UK coming out of the EU.

But this also backfired to become a very weak and unstable government putting Labour into a position of a government in waiting.

So, after all this time where are we? I find it quite amazing that there has been no impact assessment carried out on the economy, business and jobs.

Let’s take manufacturing and the sector I work in that employs over 800,000 people across the UK and yes the automotive industry has looked positive in the past few years.

But there are challenges ahead over the next few years with automation, electrification, digitisation and the ongoing changes to Co2 emission controls.

With the EPV, Electric Powered Vehicles, the journey is just beginning, but if the government invests in the right infrastructure the UK could become the centre of excellence for research and development for connected and autonomous vehicles.

Car companies have announced large budgets for EPV, but have yet to say where the money will be spent. The UK should be well positioned to bid for some of this.

It’s also vital for our supply chains to reap any benefits, our industry is reliant on a strong integrated supply chain.

High levels of production have benefited the UK suppliers, but our future in Europe has its own challenges.

Theresa May has just negotiated a £39 billion divorce bill and by Christmas 2018 we will know what that has bought us.

Hopefully thousands of jobs in manufacturing for the future not just jobs saved for this government.

Also, if there is anything left in the pot, more funding from central government for local councils to provide better services for our local communities, we do deserve better.

There will be challenging times over the next decade, but facing them together we will be stronger and continue to be successful.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Rodney Sadd
Carrington Road
Spalding