Staffordshire pottery sector support 'being looked at urgently'
The government is "urgently" looking at how it can support Staffordshire's pottery industry, the energy secretary has said.Ed Miliband said the sector was facing "particular challenges" due to global events causing an increase in fossil fuel prices.Several ceramics firms have collapsed in the wake of rising energy costs, including Stoke-on-Trent-based Royal Stafford and Moorcroft, though the latter has since been bought by the grandson of its founder.During a visit to Rocester on Thursday, Miliband told the BBC that ministers were seeking to address some of the issues in the upcoming industrial strategy.
"It is something we are urgently looking at," he said. "We do understand some of the challenges the ceramics industry is facing."It's a really important industry, really important for this area and we want to do everything we can to help."
The Labour minister put the rising international gas prices down to the "rollercoaster" of recent global events and said it was why his "mission for clean power" was so important.His comments came after Industry Minister Sarah Jones spoke of the importance of the ceramics industry and how the government wanted to support the sector."We know they've been struggling with a number of different challenges and we want to see if we can maintain and support as much as we can," she said.Miliband's visit came as the government announced it was expanding sits Warm Home Discount to 2.7m more households, including 270,000 in the West Midlands.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
28 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lydney residents and businesses to celebrate reopening of bridge
Residents are holding a celebration for the reopening of a bridge, almost eight months on from when it was damaged by flooding and a bridge on Newerne Street, Lydney, closed in November after Storm Bert swept floodwater through the Gloucestershire town. In December, a car hit the bridge, causing further was partly reopened in January but fully reopened on Friday after weeks of repair work, with the community planning a celebratory fun day on Harris, from Gloucestershire County Council, thanked residents for their patience. Grace Williams from Knockley Pet Foods, which overlooks the bridge, said Saturday morning's festivities were being held to thank those who supported the business."Our customers are amazing and they did continue to support us, we know it was really difficult to get to us," she said."A lot of the other businesses weren't so lucky... town itself has been really quiet."We're definitely relieved that it's open, it's going to be a lot easier." Kirsty Scott, who owns refill shop Forest Friendly on Newerne Street, said the bridge opening was "perfect timing" for the summer holidays and tourist season."Business owners are [relieved], definitely, and I think people who own hot cars in this hot weather are too," she said."It's been eventful and I've seen a lot of traffic sitting outside. It seems quieter today because it's flowing in both directions." Joe Harris said "final work" to the bridge wall would be completed off-road, without causing traffic disruption."I do appreciate the impact of the closure on local residents and businesses and thank you again for your patience while we completed the essential repairs," he said."Thanks also to the team who tackled this challenging job which included diving below the bridge to check for structural damage."
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: Metro's biggest shareholder open to selling stake, sources say
LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski Bacal is open to selling his majority stake in British lender Metro Bank and has received interest from investors, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Gilinski, who sits on Metro's board as a non-executive director and who owns a 52.87% stake via his Spaldy Investments vehicle, has been considering options for his stake including a sale, after a rebound in the bank's share price, the people said. He became the majority shareholder after playing a critical role in its 325 million pound ($436 million) equity recapitalisation in 2023.
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Norfolk council leader sorry over 'poor people' Facebook post
A council leader apologised "unreservedly" for posting a picture of a steak dinner on Facebook with the words: "Wonder what all the poor people are doing?"Norfolk County Council's Conservative leader Kay Mason Billig said it was a private joke that had been taken out of context and the comments were "not intended to be about anyone else".A copy of her post, which showed a tomahawk steak, red wine and a salad, was shared with the Eastern Daily council's Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins said it made "a mockery of many in our county struggling to make ends meet" and called for her to resign. Mason Billig, who has led the council since 2023, said: "Of course I apologise unreservedly if I have caused any offence, it was never my intention to do so."She said the image – taken from her personal Facebook page – was being "twisted into something it isn't"."My husband and I have sometimes called ourselves 'the poor people'," she explained."It's a private joke as we live fairly modestly, so when we have a treat, we will sometimes post about it."It's not intended to be about anyone else and is no reflection on people who are less well off than ourselves."I am deeply disappointed that someone has decided to be this horrible when they must certainly know it's actually self deprecation." While the post was made on her personal page, University of Essex professor of government Paul Whiteley said politicians had to be careful using social media."To somebody who didn't know her, it would sound like she was being rude about people who are poor, even if that's not what she meant," he said."That's what it will sound like to the vast majority of people."Watkins, whose Liberal Democrats are the main opposition group on the council, said Mason Billig "should consider her resignation immediately"."A councillor is never off duty. These comments make a mockery of many in our county struggling to make ends meet."Labour group leader Steve Morphew said Mason Billig was "out of touch". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
