Stuart Billingham, Sales Director of valve manufacturing company Koso Kent Introl Ltd, attended the event as a guest of Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn. The reception was an opportunity for businesses to speak directly to the Chancellor, who is currently preparing to deliver the Budget later this Autumn.

Josh said, “I am extremely proud to represent ‘Valve Valley’, a little-known British manufacturing success story. From nuclear power plants to the New York water system, our valves go all around the world. There are about 20 valve companies in the Brighouse and Elland area, and I was delighted to give one of them the opportunity to speak directly to the Chancellor about what the sector needs to thrive in the long term.”

Stuart said, “As one of the last true Yorkshire-based valve manufacturers, with close to 60 years of producing control and choke valves here in ‘Valve Valley’, it was a delight to meet Josh and his team at the recent National Manufacturing Day event at West Yorkshire Manufacturing Services in Brighouse.

“Our discussion led to an invite to the Chancellor’s Yorkshire and Humber business reception. It gave us the perfect platform to directly express the experiences and challenges we face as a UK manufacturer in today’s global energy sector. We discussed energy costs, local infrastructure investments and the recruitment of the next generation of engineers through apprenticeships or graduate schemes. It’s clear that Josh is passionate about these challenges and shares our concerns”.

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Leeds West and Pudsey, said: “We are a pro-business government, and we know that smaller businesses are the beating heart of high streets, industrial estates and local economies across the country.

“That’s why we’re reforming business rates, have secured trade deals with the US, EU and India to boost exports of British products, and have seen interest rates cut five times since the election, benefiting businesses in every part of Britain.”