'Membership of EU key to hope of investment'
THERE are fears global investors such as Siemens could "go elsewhere" if they judge the UK's membership of Europe to be in doubt.
Labour have voiced concerns after the Prime Minister pledged an "in/out" referendum on Europe if the Conservatives win the next general election.
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WARNING: Shadow Europe Minister Emma Reynolds, inset, says Siemens and other companies could well choose to go elsewhere if they think the UK's membership of the EU is in doubt.
Shadow Europe Minister Emma Reynolds told the Mail: "In a hugely competitive global environment, Siemens and other companies could well choose to go elsewhere if they think our membership (of the EU) is in doubt.
"They invest in parts of the UK like the Humber because it's a launch-pad to the rest of the European single market.
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"If our membership is under threat for the next four or five years then Labour is very concerned these companies could decide against further investing here and go elsewhere."
Ms Reynolds' comments come as the region awaits a final decision from German energy giant Siemens on plans to build a wind turbine factory at Green Port Hull.
During a keynote speech in London, David Cameron said he wanted to renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU then give people the "simple choice" between remaining a member under those terms and leaving.
At Prime Minister's Questions Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart congratulated Mr Cameron on "going in to bat for Britain".
But Labour claimed a referendum would cause economic "uncertainty".
Ms Reynolds said the party did not believe "we should have an in/out referendum now or any time soon".
Meanwhile, Employment Minister Mark Hoban also told the Mail that recent job losses in Hull underlined the importance of securing investment from companies such as Siemens.
He said: "We need to press ahead with projects that will lead to new employment opportunities and particularly where it capitalises on some of the skills in the existing labour force."
But he also conceded there was "clearly a challenge" in terms of creating jobs in places like Hull.
Mr Hoban was speaking as figures showed an overall rise in employment in Yorkshire and the Humber, but a continued fall in Hull, where the number of people out of work rose to 15,267.
Hull North MP Diana Johnson tweeted that the jobless figures in her constituency were the "11th highest in (the) UK" at 12.4 per cent.
In Haltemprice and Howden, however, employment levels increased by 10.1 per cent, which MP David Davis said was "excellent news".
He said: "I want our region to keep outperforming the rest of the country when it comes to creating jobs."
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by Agingcowgirl
Friday, January 25 2013, 10:16AM
“I agree with corrig, in all respects, being worried about our country being run by an unelected body in Brussels that can't even keep it's own finances straight, it's accounts haven't been signed off for years by their auditors because they don't balance, and having them dictate our laws is not being racist. IN UNDER 5 YEARS TIME THE EU PLANS TO HAVE POLITICAL AND BANKING UNITY, do we seriously want to be part of that? Siemens decision will be based on profit, saying they won't come if we might come out of the EU is being disingenuous.”
by corrig
Thursday, January 24 2013, 7:34PM
“out as fast as we can. would you invite your bankrupt neighbours to come and live with you?? all us watt tylers are not racist but frightened that eu immigration is changing the very fabric of this countrry and overwhelming the systems. it has nothing to offer that cannot be attained independently.the scaremongers ie lord haskins have nothing but personal opinions to base their findings on.will siemens come to hull? i dont know . their decision will be based on one thing profit. not membership of the eu.”
by Worker111
Thursday, January 24 2013, 4:29PM
“Tony Benn said in his diaries ("25 October 1977) Benn wrote that he "loathed" the EEC; he claimed it was "bureaucratic and centralised" and "of course it is really dominated by Germany."
Was he a racist too?”
by Worker111
Thursday, January 24 2013, 4:21PM
“"The Labour party went into the 1983 general election with the most left wing manifesto that Labour ever stood upon. The manifesto contained pledges for abolition of the House of Lords, unilateral nuclear disarmament, withdrawal from the European Community."
Was Michael Foot also a racist?”
by Worker111
Thursday, January 24 2013, 4:14PM
“by bewildered1, "Do you have a source or reference for your claims regarding Mr Mitchell or do you just make stuff up and act like a victim?"
Oh the irony!”
by bewildered1
Thursday, January 24 2013, 1:14PM
“Worker111
by bewildered1, last I heard Austin Mitchell wanted us out of Europe, is he a racist also.
According to "theyworkforyou" Austin Mitchell: "Voted a mixture of for and against more EU integration."
http://tinyurl.com/a49g9vs He voted for the "Lisbon Treaty".
Dont know if he is a racist. Assume not but you never know. But he does support a referendum on the issue is that what you intended to say?
Do you have a source or reference for your claims regarding Mr Mitchell or do you just make stuff up and act like a victim? (No doubt there are non racists who want to withdraw from the EU.)”
by bewildered1
Thursday, January 24 2013, 12:23PM
“Worker111
by bewildered1, last I heard Austin Mitchell wanted us out of Europe, is he a racist also.
According to "theyworkforyou" Austin Mitchell: "Voted a mixture of for and against more EU integration."
http://tinyurl.com/a49g9vs He voted for the "Lisbon Treaty".
Dont know if he is a racist. Assume not but you never know. But he does support a referendum on the issue
Do you have a source or reference for your claims regarding Mr Mitchell or do you just make stuff up and act like a victim?”
by John_Daniels
Thursday, January 24 2013, 12:08PM
“Labour scaremongering again because the majority of the people in this city let alone country don't want anything to do with New Labours National Bolshevism and its attempt to create a bi sexual multicultural master race to occupy the new European Fatherland. They're as bad as Hull BID screaming that the sky is falling in. If Siemans want to come here they will come and if they don't they won't. Now I don't know about anyone else but I think if we applied ourselves we could build them ourselves!”
by Worker111
Thursday, January 24 2013, 10:48AM
“Shadow Europe Minister Emma Reynolds is a disgrace and shown herself to be an utter fool with her comments.
Siemens will come here or not, wether we are in the EU or not, because there is billions of subsides to be had, paid for by a 20% levvy on all out energy bills.
Do people, companies or countries buy our products and services because we are in the EU, no they don't.
They buy them if they need them, if they are well made, and if they are the right price.
They will continue to do so, or not wehter we are in the EU or not.
We would just be £7 billion a year better of, and could have our fishing grounds back again.
We could also kick out all the unemployed migrants that have come here over the years. We have enough wasters of our own without shipping them in from all over Europe.
by bewildered1, last I heard Austin Mitchell wanted us out of Europe, is he a racist also.
The smearing has already begun”
by bewildered1
Thursday, January 24 2013, 8:42AM
“Cameron is merely trying to recoup the tory votes that have gone to UKIP. This is about the next election. The vast majority of UK politicians are in favour of EU membership, if left to them we will stay in. Some of the british public may be swayed by a racist line from UKIP but all three major parties will adopt strategies to keep us in.
Attacking the EU for a lack of democracy is difficult: our head of state is hereditary and we do not have proportional representation, a constitution which protects citizens and a bill of rights. Which does not really amount to a democracy.”