(Alliance News) – German business representatives are urging the new British government to invest heavily in the country, saying the country is “investment-delayed”.
Bernd Attenstadt, head of the British German industry lobby, told dpa he hopes Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new Labour government will expand infrastructure, improve education and cut red tape.
The centre-left Labour Party won Britain’s general election on Thursday, replacing the Conservative Party which had been in power for 14 years.
Attenstadt pointed to a serious shortage of skilled workers, especially in the engineering sector, and stressed the need for better schooling and long-term dual-vocational training.
He called for a modern, long-term national economic strategy for urgently needed investments, “including unlocking innovation, greater embrace of digitalization, automation and artificial intelligence,” he said.
According to a survey carried out by the German-British Chamber of Commerce (AHK), the shortage of skilled workers is one of the biggest challenges facing German companies in the UK.
Ulrich Hoppe, head of the AHK in London, said there was a huge “investment lag” and called on the new government to make it a priority.
“The country must get back on track to real growth, especially after Brexit,” he said.
He noted that the UK’s economic strength has declined significantly since leaving the EU and expressed concern that per capita income has stagnated despite slight recent economic growth.
Mr Hoppe criticised the new government for a lack of economic vision, saying new ideas were needed after Brexit and after the pandemic, and he questioned whether Labour had the courage to take on new initiatives.
Source: DPA
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