Hundreds call for Wedgwood to be nationalised

HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling for Wedgwood to be nationalised.

Stoke Socialist Party has collected more than 500 names in support of calls to bring the 250-year-old ceramic giant into public ownership.

Area organiser Andy Bentley says the Government should invest in keeping traditional manufacturing roles after spending billions propping up Britain’s banking system.

But business leaders today warned it would not make financial sense to nationalise the Barlaston firm, and investment from the private sector is needed.

Mr Bentley said: “The Government is willing to spend billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to bail out rich bankers, but they have not shown they are prepared to do the same for ordinary workers.

“I don’t see why the Government shouldn’t step in and save Wedgwood.”

“The Tory government of the 1970s stepped in to nationalise British Leyland, and Northern Rock has been nationalised, so it shows it can be done.”

Mr Bentley believes there could be more job losses if Waterford Wedgwood remains in private hands and that would mean the Government paying out more in Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The Socialist Party in Ireland has launched a similar campaign to nationalise sister company, Waterford Crystal.

Mr Bentley added: “If this Government is serious about wanting to save jobs, then how else is it going to do it?”

The petition has been launched as talks continue over Wedgwood’s future after it called in administrators in January.

Parent firm Waterford Wedgwood had debts of around £400 million and made a loss of almost £200 million last year.

It is understood U.S.-based private equity firms, KPS Capital and Clarion Capital, are both interested in buying the group, although it is not known whether they would cut jobs in the region.

Meanwhile, two cousins, who are direct descendants of founder Josiah Wedgwood, want to see the group split so they can take on Wedgwood and stop any more redundancies in Barlaston.

Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello said: “The issue with nationalisation is where does it end? If we nationalised Wedgwood then perhaps you should nationalise JCB, and then perhaps you should also nationalise Mockett’s Oatcake Shop.

“We have been forced to do it with the banks because if we didn’t support the banking infrastructure there would have been an impact across industry.

“Wedgwood was founded as a private company by Josiah Wedgwood and it has been successful and profitable for most of its 250 years.”

Bryan Carnes, chief executive of North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said private sector money is needed to secure Wedgwood’s future.

He said: “I think the Government probably has enough on its plate without considering the nationalisation of every struggling business.

“Where would it stop? Where would the money come from to pay for it?

“There is more likely to be a role for the private sector, which can pay more attention to the successful conversion of Wedgwood into a competitive force in the world marketplace.”