A Conservative MP was handed thousands of pounds after bigging up a manufacturing firm in the House of Commons, a Byline Times investigation has revealed.
The offices of Jack Brereton, the MP for Stoke-on-Trent, received a donation from Rayne Precision Engineering Limited on June 27th 2023 for “political campaigning”.
It came shortly after the MP spoke up for the company in the Commons, highlighting a struggle for recruitment within the sector, and an increase in job vacancies.
Speaking just a few months earlier on 23rd January, Brereton put to Minister for Employment Guy Opperman: “We have some fantastic engineering companies in Stoke-on-Trent, including Don-Bur, IAE and Rayne Precision Engineering. However, they are struggling to fill what amount collectively to hundreds of vacancies. Will my hon. Friend look at what more we can do to help those companies recruit people and get them back into work?”
Opperman responded that “a jobs fair is planned at Port Vale football club on 16 February, and Don-Bur, IAE and Rayne are all invited to attend.” On 15 March, the DWP is also hosting a jobs fair at IAE’s new exhibition centre.”
Shortly after his contribution, the MP visited the company premises in February, with Rayne posting on Facebook: “It was our pleasure to show you round our factory and hearing your vision for the future and how businesses like ours play into that vision for your constituency over your time in office”, including the hashtags “#JackBrereton #Conservatives #government”.
Brereton had posted on social media that he was “pleased to mention in the House of Commons the vacancies available at Don-Bur (Bodies & Trailers) Ltd, IAE1969Careers, and Rayne Precision Engineering. If you’re looking for work and fancy a good skilled career in engineering, apply now”
Watch the clip in full below:
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