RACHEL Reeves will today announce new rules to help ensure ships and steel are British-made.
The Chancellor insists that the move will boost the country’s national security by ruling out bids from overseas.
Big infrastructure projects such as new railways and runways will be focused on firms buying British under the plans to be revealed in her conference speech on Monday.
Ministers see the reforms as harnessing the government’s £385 billion yearly procurement spending to protect supply chains.
She will say that a strong economy must rest on “strong foundations” of domestic steel capacity, defence capability and energy security.
She will add that “where things are made, and who makes them, does matter”.
The Chancellor will say “as we build new railways and new roads, new power stations and new runways, for this generation and the next we want the security – and the good jobs – that come from making things here in Britain”.
The changes come after the UK announced a £10 billion warship exports deal with Norway which will support 4,000 UK jobs.
The new announcement is being made to help boost the UK’s sluggish economic growth.
It’s expected the Chancellor will have to find around £30 billion at the Budget to balance the books.
