SOUTHAMPTON MUST RETAIN JOBS IN FUTURE - GIDLEY

12.00.00am GMT Wed 12th Mar 2008

Reacting with dismay to the news today that 119 employees of British American Tobacco are to lose their jobs at the company's Millbrook site, Southampton MP Sandra Gidley, said:

"This is tragic news for those workers and their families who are to be made redundant.

"We must ensure that today's losses aren't replicated elsewhere in the city. Southampton is a great city for business. In the future business leaders, City Councillors and MPs must do more to promote the skills and expertise that we have locally, so that no more jobs are lost to Eastern Europe or other growing economies."

ENDS