Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves on visit to Bradford's Solenis

Rachel Reeves, who represents Leeds West, visited chemical company Solenis in Low Moor on Friday along with Bradford South MP Judith Cummins.

It came one day after Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled his cost-of-living plan. While Ms Reeves largely welcomed the measures, she called for more business support.

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves at Solenis in Low Moor

“Their energy bill here has gone up from £7m to £35m in two years, because there’s no price cap for businesses,” she told the Telegraph & Argus and said it was a gap in the Government's package. 

“Other countries are standing behind their energy-intensive industries, like this one.

“The Government has announced nothing for businesses, whether that’s smaller high-street businesses that are struggling or indeed with big businesses like this who have global competitors who haven’t experienced the same sort of increase in their energy bills.

“If businesses aren’t getting the support, that means less money for investment, it means less money for working people.”

Ms Reeves toured the site with Bradford South MP Judith Cummins

Ms Cummins added: “We’re not competing in the UK on a level playing field at all and Government isn’t helping our businesses out, so I’m worried that in consequence, jobs may suffer.”

The MPs also heard from the GMB Union and the Shadow Chancellor said: “Labour over the last few years, I think has lost touch with some of our core values and our roots.

“I think for me and Judith, the Labour Party is very much about having that connection with the world of work and working men and women, so spending time at this business, but also with the workforce and the GMB union, I think is really important for me and for the whole Labour Party.”

Ms Reeves and Ms Cummins at Solenis

David Calder, site manager at Solenis, said: “It’s always good to show people what’s going on in Bradford.

“It’s good to explain to politicians what challenges we are facing and how Government can help.”

He touched on how the pandemic, plus post-Brexit and supply chain issues are having a big impact.

On the Chancellor’s package of measures, Ms Reeves asked: “Frankly, what took them so long?”

“I think what they did is important and it’s what Labour has been calling for. There are bits of the package I don’t think are right, so for example, if you own a second or third home, you’ll get the £400 for each energy bill you’ve got.”

Ms Reeves welcomed the package as a "huge relief" to families and pensioners but said it was essentially a U-turn in adopting the Labour policy of a 'windfall tax' after resisting it.