Mr Corbyn and Rugby Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate, Dr Debbie Bannigan, visited the Rugby Indian Association on Edward Street where they addressed a crowd of around 740 people before speaking to the Advertiser.

Matt Western, the Labour MP who gained a surprise victory for the party in Warwick and Leamington in last year’s General Election, was present to tell Rugby Labour supporters that it is possible to gain ground in Conservative-held seats.

Speaking after news that 197 General Electric jobs in Rugby are under threat, Mr Corbyn told the crowd: “My dad used to come to Rugby a lot to what is now GE and we’ve [Dr Bannigan and I] just been to the factory. “Debbie and I had a long talk with the unions and the management there about what they can make and what they can do. And if the government doesn’t invest in the new frigates that are needed, doesn’t invest in the tidal wave lagoon – the tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay – then the future is grim.” Dr Bannigan and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey previously argued the £1.3 billion Swansea tidal lagoon scheme could have secured the future of GE workers in Rugby – as they would have been making parts for the project, but the government shelved the project in June.

In a statement released before the event, Mr Corbyn said a Labour government would back the Swansea tidal lagoon which: “will bring high-skill jobs designing and producing turbines to Rugby.” The GE unit in Rugby under threat also makes electric drive systems that could be used in the new frigates that the government has in the pipeline.

Speaking on the threat to GE jobs, Mr Corbyn said: “It’s not just the jobs but GE itself – it’s a manufacturing tradition that Rugby has. “I come from that family tradition of working in the manufacturing industry and what they are doing in Rugby is incredibly high skilled, innovative stuff and that’s why government procurement is so important.”

Dr Bannigan said it is important to maintain pressure on behalf of Rugby’s GE workers. She said: “It’s really about keeping getting the message across to those who are in positions to make decisions – that this is a viable strategically significant business, not just for Rugby, but for the country as a whole. “If we lose this capacity we’ve lost it forever and it doesn’t exist elsewhere in the country and it cannot easily be regained. “So really the persuasion from hereon is for the government to bring forward orders and contracts that they’ve got in the pipeline anyway, and ensure that they are fulfilled from Rugby, not from other parts of GE’s empire.”

When asked about his thoughts on the closure of the A&E, Mr Corbyn said: “I’m concerned at the over-centralisation of A&E across the country, including in this region and, [to Dr Bannigan] that’s what you’ve been campaigning over isn’t it.” Dr Bannigan said: “Absolutely, he [Mr Pawsey] is completely wrong. People have not got used to it, they’ll never get used to it. ”

Dr Bannigan said: “And when you get there the whole place is absolutely flat out – they’re overstretched already. Even if you can get onto the car park and park in the first place. It is the stuff of madness and a nightmare for real people.”

For the Full story – please go to Alex Green’s story: https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-speaks-exclusively-to-the-advertiser-about-ge-jobs-under-threat-the-loss-of-rugby-s-a-e-and-universal-credit-1-8694151?fbclid=IwAR0mGmvAlEa41DdaERuux3jC9QBNoxBDYJK9jqylUaTDw3__odKLH-3moP4