Ratan Tata attacks UK govt on its record on manufacturing

LONDON: India's leading industrialist Ratan Tata, who runs Corus and Jaguar Land Rover, has criticised the British government's record on manufacturing, saying it does not appear to care about the sector.

"My concern is that the government does not appear to care about the manufacturing sector or doesn't seem to consider it really part of the economy," UK-based paper The Sunday Times said in its website.

At the same time, he said praised UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown saying, "He is a very sincere person. I have to believe he is genuine in his desire to see British industry supported. There hasn't been implementation of that desire."

JLR has failed in its attempts to get loan guarantees from the government and is understood to have refused an offer from officials last week, rejecting conditions that would have given the government a degree of management control.

Stating that he does not seek a bailout for JLR or Corus, Tata said, "The government controls the banks and all I seek is facilitation of access to credit on commercial terms. Not a bail out".

According the report, Tata said Britain risked "losing the wealth of the nation" through its disregard for industry. "The government either doesn't realise it or chooses not to consider it important."

Tata, one of the largest inward investors in Britain owns JLR and Corus, which together employ 40,000 people. It also owns Tetley Tea. Last week Corus had said it was likely to lay off 3,000 workers on Teesside.

Tata said he had been surprised by his experience at JLR and Corus. "We were amazed because the whole Coventry and Birmingham area is full of high skills in design and automotive engineering".