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Burberry royal status under fire | Burberry royal status under fire |
(about 3 hours later) | |
An MP has called in Parliament for Burberry to lose its Royal Warrant if it goes ahead with the proposed closure of its Rhondda factory. | |
Burberry plans to shut the site in Treorchy in March and move production overseas with the loss of 300 jobs. | Burberry plans to shut the site in Treorchy in March and move production overseas with the loss of 300 jobs. |
Chris Bryant MP said Royal Warrants should go to British companies only if they have a "fair employment policy". | Chris Bryant MP said Royal Warrants should go to British companies only if they have a "fair employment policy". |
Burberry said it was very much a British company that employed 2,000 people in the UK. | Burberry said it was very much a British company that employed 2,000 people in the UK. |
Royal Warrants are granted to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years to the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh or Prince of Wales. | Royal Warrants are granted to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years to the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh or Prince of Wales. |
Every Royal Warrant holder should have a fair employment policy Chris Bryant MP | Every Royal Warrant holder should have a fair employment policy Chris Bryant MP |
Burberry, which holds "by appointment" Royal Warrants from the Queen and the Prince of Wales, recently announced a 22% increase in revenue. | Burberry, which holds "by appointment" Royal Warrants from the Queen and the Prince of Wales, recently announced a 22% increase in revenue. |
But it plans to move production of polo shirts from Treorchy overseas - the company says to Asia or Europe, while the union claims it would be to China. | But it plans to move production of polo shirts from Treorchy overseas - the company says to Asia or Europe, while the union claims it would be to China. |
Mr Bryant parliamentary move comes the day after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson became the latest celebrity to lend his name to the high-profile campaign to fight the closure. | Mr Bryant parliamentary move comes the day after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson became the latest celebrity to lend his name to the high-profile campaign to fight the closure. |
In the light of the situation at the factory, Mr Bryant has called on the Commons to review the way Royal Warrants are given to firms. | |
He said: "The Prince of Wales insists there should be a strong environmental policy for a company to enjoy a Royal Warrant. | He said: "The Prince of Wales insists there should be a strong environmental policy for a company to enjoy a Royal Warrant. |
'Hit the media' | 'Hit the media' |
"I believe they shouldn't just have a strong environmental policy, but every Royal Warrant holder should have a fair employment policy." | "I believe they shouldn't just have a strong environmental policy, but every Royal Warrant holder should have a fair employment policy." |
Campaigners hope the support of stars including singer Sir Tom Jones and Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd - one of the company's "faces" - will make the company think about the impact closing the factory would have on its image. | Campaigners hope the support of stars including singer Sir Tom Jones and Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd - one of the company's "faces" - will make the company think about the impact closing the factory would have on its image. |
Robin Croft from Glamorgan University said Sir Alex joining the campaign changed everything as Manchester United was "huge" in Japan. | Robin Croft from Glamorgan University said Sir Alex joining the campaign changed everything as Manchester United was "huge" in Japan. |
"With 62 stores in Japan I guess Burberry would be really concerned that this does hit the media over there, and really devalues the brand," he said. | "With 62 stores in Japan I guess Burberry would be really concerned that this does hit the media over there, and really devalues the brand," he said. |