A businessman is to challenge Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown to visit Ilkley to see the effects of his economic policy at the sharp end.

The managing director of Spooner Industries, Derek Broadley, is throwing down the gauntlet following the news that the Ilkley engineering firm is to shed about a third of its 100 workforce.

Mr Broadley, who met MP Ann Cryer to discuss the Labour Government's economic policy, blames the strong pound and high interest rates for crippling his company's export trade.

Mrs Cryer has also criticised the Government's economic policy, particularly the decision to hand over responsibility for setting interest rates to the Bank of England.

She believes more pressure for a change in economic policy should be put on Gordon Brown by manufacturers themselves, rather than back bench MPs.

Only last month David Wilkinson, chief executive of Bradford & District Training and Enterprise Council, said the strength of the pound was having a devastating effect on exporters and other companies in the supply chain.

He said the Bradford area was being badly hit because of its higher-than-average dependency on manufacturing and exporting.

Mr Broadley, who said he would be inviting Mr Brown to the town, said: "She was sympathetic. Clearly there were a number of issues I raised with her where our political views didn't coincide but she understands the causes of our problems."

He said the issues of the European Social Contract and the limit on working hours imposed by the Working Hours Directive remained bones of contention between him and the Labour MP, but they were both convinced the Government needed to promote the manufacturing industry.

Meanwhile, Spooners is pressing ahead with its policy of reducing the workforce to fit the orders in the pipeline.

"We have set up the necessary consultative arrangements and I think it is proceeding with full co-operation with the staff at all levels," said Mr Broadley.

Ilkley parish councillor Mike Lynes, former president of the now defunct Ilkley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "People are finding it a lot more expensive to be in England at the moment because of the exchange rate and I think many people in Ilkley are very concerned about what will happen to tourism.

"Places like Ilkley seem to be forgotten by the Government and it's about time people like Gordon Brown realised that people are affected outside the enterprise zones they are so proud of."

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