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'Why do we allow our politicians to sit by and let

15th April 1993, Page 50
15th April 1993
Page 50
Page 50, 15th April 1993 — 'Why do we allow our politicians to sit by and let
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Leyland Daf fight for its life?'

(Wh y do we have to stand by and watch while another great British

company is allowed to struggle and possibly die for lack of support?

I refer to Leyland Daf or, as I prefer to call them, Leyland Motors — a company that was once one of the largest truck makers in the world and is still a market leader and major exporter in the UK.

Why do we allow our politicians, whose understanding of truck manufacturing must be minimal, to sit by and let Leyland Daf fight for its life when politicians in other countries make every effort to save their national enterprises?

I have an axe to grind. I ran Leyland trucks for over 20 years and like many transport managers in this country was happy with the way they were built, particularly the Albion and Lancashire-made products. Leyland was doing well in the 1980s when it joined with I W. We all hoped this would provide security for those of us using a quality British product. Unfortunately, through no fault of Leyland, the Daf tinanc-es were not able to withstand the recession, despite strong sales of Leyland Daf trucks.

However, in the Netherlands the Dutch Government takes a long-term view of one of its national assets and provides it with finance to see it through, despite obvious weaknesses such as old fashioned cabs and its dependence on Leyland for vans and light trucks.

Here in the UK what do we do with one of Europe's most modern and efficient truck factories? A factory that could produce the whole range of trucks on one assembly line, with a parts and spares backup that is second to none and the whole operation fully computerised. Well, at the moment you can imagine the politicians saying: "I'm not sure it fits in with our current thinking," or "It would consolidate our inflation strategy if they were unemployed."

By the time the Government does anything, foreign competitors will have moved in and killed Leyland Daf stone dead.

Where are those who love Leyland? In the 1970s a Tory Government saved Rolls Royce, Labour saved BMC (at Leyland's expense), enthusiasts saved Land Rover from becoming an Isuzu and we all saved the miners — or some of them — but who, please, is going to save Leyland Daf?

I urge everyone who reads this article, every fleet manager, every transport manager, every driver, who feels strongly about our last British volume truck producer to do something now. Write to your MP. Tell them that, unless something is done soon, Leyland will go the way of the British motorbike industry or Bedford Trucks. Then we will all be living in a giant national supermarket which employs people selling only imported goods to its population. I say act now.

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