The Labour leader argued that supporting British firms was crucial to jobs and growth in the UK. „We should not be embarrassed about the need for more patriotism in our economic policy,“ he said.

He accused the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition of letting British business down by sticking to the view that government should „get out of the way“ amid recent anger at the way thousands of jobs at Canadian-owned Bombardier in Derby were put on the line after an important contract to build Thameslink trains was awarded to German rival Siemens.