Muammar Al Khadafi

Bombardier, the UK train maker who missed out on the £1.4bn Thameslink contract when ministers chose to award it to German company Siemens, is to axe more than 1,400 jobs at its Derby plant.

446 permanent jobs and 983 temporary staff are to go at the Derby plant, which currently employs 3,000 people.

Siemens, although already employing a large number in the UK, plan upon building the trains in Germany, and only a minimal number of jobs will be created in the UK.

It's worth revisiting a few comments made at the time the contract went abroad, made by Theresa Villiers, Rail Minister

"Today’s announcement is further proof of the Government’s commitment to investing in Britain’s future"

This deal is "...the best value for money for taxpayers..."

One might even consider looking at more recent remarks by Ian Duncan Smith, paraphrasing the "British jobs for British workers" mantra that some among the Tories like to sing but never actually do a thing about.

How about British contracts for British factories? That might be a start, instead of leaving British workers jobless because ministers decided it would be a better deal for Britain if we awarded the contract to a foreign company.

Just how is it a better deal for Britain when 1,400 workers now face losing their jobs and the dole queue, with all the attendant costs to the country. There probably aren't many among those 1,400 celebrating the great deal Britain got.

How much of an investment is it in Britains future to see what little remains of our once great manufacturing industry further destroyed, not even awarded a major contract by our own government?

Mark Young, co-ordinating officer of Unite, said "I don't know of any procurement that's been in France or Germany that has gone to any other company other than the indigenous rail manufacturers in their countries"

No other country in Europe is as stupidly docile about complying with EU bidding regulations and allowing major contracts go to foreign companies.

Only in Britain can a politician look around and say it's the best value deal, and that it's proof of the government investing in Britains future, when in reality - yet again - they have snubbed a British company and the British worker.

Labour had an atrocious track record, ConDem are the same, none of them can be trusted with Britains future.