A Government for Investors or a Government for Workers?

Surely, England deserves both.

For decades, workers across England have been told there is no alternative. Factories close because of "global competition". Jobs move overseas because of "market forces". Foreign takeovers happen because the British government is "open for business".

Yet one simple question remains: who is the British government actually working for?

Investment matters. Every worker understands that businesses need confidence to invest, expand and create jobs. Without investment there are no new factories, no research, no apprenticeships and no long-term growth. But investment should never come at the cost of abandoning the workforce that helped build those businesses in the first place. The debate should not be about choosing investors or workers. A successful economy needs both. The real question is whether the British government is prepared to create the right rules so that investment benefits the country as well as those providing the capital. Other countries seem to understand this as the following chart shows.

Chart 1: Foreign Investment Screening

Source: OECD and national investment legislation.

International Frameworks for Safeguarding Strategic Industries

Many of the world's largest economies already recognise that certain industries are simply too important to leave entirely to market forces.

The United States can block overseas investment where national security is at risk. France has repeatedly intervened to protect strategic industries, while Germany subjects major acquisitions to detailed national interest tests. Britain has traditionally adopted a much more open approach to the detriment of workers in England.

There is nothing wrong with welcoming overseas investment. Indeed, inward investment has created thousands of jobs across England. The concern arises when ownership changes are followed by the gradual or quick movement of production, research or skilled employment overseas. Too often, communities across England lose industries that took generations to establish, leaving workers asking a perfectly reasonable question: if other countries protect their national interests, why shouldn't England?

Building a Sustainable Economic Partnership

The Workers of England Union believes the answer is not protectionism but partnership.

Companies investing in England should be welcomed and supported, but there should also be clear expectations. Businesses that benefit from our skilled workforce, infrastructure, education system and customers should also make a lasting contribution to England's prosperity. That could include commitments to maintain employment, invest in apprenticeships, strengthen domestic supply chains, publish significant offshoring decisions and, where appropriate, repay public support if agreed commitments are broken.

Chart 2: What Attracts Investment?

Source: OECD investment research and international investor surveys.

Analyzing Key Determinants of Global Capital Inflow

Research consistently shows that businesses do not choose where to invest based solely on wages. Access to skilled workers, reliable infrastructure, political stability, transport links and resilient supply chains are all major factors. Protecting workers therefore does not automatically discourage investment. In many of the world's strongest economies, the opposite is true. Stable employment, high skills and long-term planning help attract high-quality investors.

The British Government therefore has a responsibility to balance both interests. Investors need certainty. Workers need security. Communities need sustainable employment, while taxpayers deserve confidence that public investment delivers lasting benefits. These objectives are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they depend upon one another.

The Workers of England Union believes England can remain one of the best places in the world to invest while expecting businesses to make a genuine commitment to the people and communities that contribute to their success.

The question for the British Government is therefore a simple one.

Will it continue to place the interests of investors ahead of working people, or will it build an economy where investment and workers succeed together?

That is the debate England now needs and the Workers of England Union wants reassurance that the British government is committed to this approach.

Stephen Morris
General Secretary
Workers of England Union

Key Takeaways

• Balanced Economic Framework: Sustainable financial prosperity relies on mutual partnership, ensuring that inward capital investment does not compromise long-term domestic workforce security.
• Deficient Asset Protection: Unlike peers such as the US, France, and Germany, the UK enforces limited national interest screening mechanisms to defend regional industries from foreign buyouts.
• True Drivers of Capital: Data shows global corporate entities prioritize stable infrastructure, high regional skill sets, and structural political reliability over low labor cost parameters.
• Reciprocal Industrial Accountability: Entities profiting from public infrastructure, state education frameworks, and localized consumer markets must deliver documented commitments to apprentice programs and supply chain stability.

View our Campaign: Protecting Vital Industries