Jonathan Reynolds visits independent Great Yarmouth business

Jonathan Reynolds and Labour's Great Yarmouth parliamentary candidate Kier Cozens visited Yarmouth Oilskins on Southgates Road today (May 28).

As he praised the company's success in Japan and America, the shadow business secretary said independent businesses would receive support in Labour's plans to rejuvenate the British economy.

The duo toured the premises and discovered more about the company, which has been making workwear in the town for more than 125 years.

Mr Reynolds praised the company's international output and said Labour's industrial strategy will focus on being "better, more stable and more consistent" for businesses and workers.

Labour's Keir Cozens and Jonathan Reynolds visited Yarmouth Oilskins on Tuesday morning. (Image: James Weeds)"The economy has not grown over the past 14 years as anyone would like it to grow," he said. "There's been low business investment, low productivity and low growth as a result.

"And Labour's menu of things that make life easier for business is about security, first of all."

READ MORE: The 9 Great Yarmouth projects being funded by the £20.1m Town Deal cash

Inside Yarmouth Stores, home of Yarmouth Oilskins. (Image: James Weeds)Mr Reynolds said if his party is successful at the July 4 election, a new industrial strategy will be launched "as soon as possible," with a focus on apprenticeship levies, secure work for people and a good faith relationship with the European Union for "specific things".

"Life has been made more difficult for people in terms of exporting to the EU after Brexit," he said. "And there are some things we can do to make that easier, but there are some facts of life around that."

Part of the manufacturing line in Yarmouth Oilskins. (Image: James Weeds)Trying on one of the company's coats, Mr Reynolds praised Yarmouth Oilskins' approach to exports, whose EU trade has fallen since Brexit, but sales have risen with customers in the US and Japan.

"There's so much work to admire," he said. "I'm particularly impressed by the export opportunities they have enjoyed. What we've got to see is a much greater focus on helping businesses themselves - particularly smaller businesses - export and realise some of those opportunities."

Shadow secretary for business Jonathan Reynolds trying on a Yarmouth Oilskins coat. (Image: James Weeds)After their tour of Yarmouth Oilskins, Mr Reynolds and Mr Cozens planned to visit Haven Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth and a business in Beccles.

DEVOLUTION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEVELLING UP

Mr Reynolds confirmed local devolution was a "huge part" of Labour's economic strategy and key to growing the UK economy.

He said economic needs differ across the country, so "greater local leadership in each jurisdiction" was crucial to ensuring the economy grew around the country and not just the capital.

Mr Reynolds also said there will be a focus on building good infrastructure at a faster rate to build local economies, with decisions coming "from the bottom up".

He said: "People feel that core infrastructure has not been delivered on anything like the timescale they want. It's something we do recognise and want to see improved."

Mr Reynolds added that while he "admired" the idea of the Conservative levelling up policy, it failed to deliver and had been effectively abandoned.

Mr Reynolds added it is likely Labour would continue with a similar scheme but under a different name.