THE Government today came under renewed fire over its policy on manufacturing.

Union leader Tony Woodley warned that Britain risks becoming a manufacturing-free country within a generation unless measures are taken to boost industry.

The general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union said the nation would be crippled without its manufacturing backbone. He warned: "We cannot survive as a nation of lawyers and business consultants alone."

Mr Woodley pointed to data showing manufacturing jobs were being lost at the rate of 140,000 a year which he said leaft workers with a "bleak" future.

Speaking at a conference in London, he said: "Britain is not the only country affected by offshoring, but it is the only one where the Government says that nothing can be done about it."

Mr Woodley said he was disappointed at the lack of support for manufacturing from the Government.

"Other countries, including the United States, France and Germany, act to protect their manufacturing base."

The strongly-worded comments were welcomed by Alan Hall, regional director of the Engineering Employers Federation.

While he thought the union leader's prediction was "alarmist", he said the Government needed to be more aware about the long-term problems faced by the industry.

Full story in tomrrow's Echo.