Lord Digby Jones has backed a new campaign to safeguard jobs in the Midlands and celebrate innovative firms.

Made In The Midlands has been launched by niche business to business publication Business Report this week and aims to get 250 firms in the region signed up to pledge their support for local firms and manufacturers.

The drive to get Midland companies to support each other and advocate the use of local suppliers whenever possible, has been backed by Lord Jones of Birmingham.

"Getting behind the region's suppliers makes sense to keep employment levels and morale up," said Lord Jones at the launch of Made In The Midlands. "But the best reason is that all the stuff made in the West Midlands tends to be the best!"

The campaign has also won the support of Tony Woodley, Unite general secretary.

"This region is still the engine of our economy. It is vital that we do all we can together to ensure it stays that way, so that when we do emerge from this downturn, our jobs and talents are in tact," he said.

"Unite backs this campaign because Unite believes first, last and always that manufacturing matters to this country."

Jason Pitt, the editor of Business Report - a bi-monthly publication that is printed in Birmingham and the Black Country - said manufacturers have already contacted his Wolverhampton office to sign a pledge of allegiance to local businesses.

"This is about celebrating innovation and learning from successes; it's about being an advocate of local suppliers and labour wherever possible to keep our industries alive," he said.

"This isn't paying lip service to the local economy - and it is not a campaign for protectionism - this is about safeguarding local jobs and firms and developing the local economy so that it can survive this crippling recession and thrive when the upturn starts.

"The Made In The Midlands campaign is about helping fellow businesses, keeping vital skills in the region and keeping jobs here."

For more details about Made In The  Midlands,  email madeinthemidlands@businessreport.co.uk or telephone 01902 710078.

The future of van maker LDV was in doubt after a lifeline to save it was ditched.

Weststar had entered into an agreement to buy LDV's owners interest in the Birmingham firm.

But the Malaysian company announced yesterday that it had been unable to raise funds for the business, meaning LDV, which employs 850 staff, has been forced into reapplying for administration.

Midland business leaders expressed dismay at the announcement.
 
Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: "This is a huge blow for the region and particularly for the 850 people who work there.
 
"We hope that even at this late stage a new buyer can be found but the portents do not look good in the light of the decision by the Malaysian giant Weststar to pull out.
 
"This is another resounding blow for the West Midlands automotive sector. LDV has an award winning product in the Maxus, a healthy order book and the research and design experience to create vehicles like the new electric van, which was months away from production."
 
Simon Topman, chairman of West Midlands Chambers of Commerce, said: "The impact on the supply chain will vary.  Many suppliers have already taken a hit in that LDV has not produced any vehicles in 2009.  Some suppliers will still be owed money.
 
"In the region we will be looking to support any last-ditch effort to save LDV and to assure any potential investors that the West Midlands has a supply chain with many years of skills and experience."

Skills Secretary John Denham has visited Dudley College to see at first hand how it is helping people facing redundancy. Dudley College is now offering free training to anyone at risk of redundancy or recently made redundant to help them get another job.
The college has a range of free short courses - many available now and more starting in September - in areas such as business administration, retail and warehousing, construction, electronics and health studies.
Mr Denham saw how Dudley College is responding positively to helping Dudley's residents through the recession. He also met students and heard their views on further education and Dudley College.
Dudley College is also one of 32 colleges in the West Midlands to recently receive a share of £83m to deliver high-quality training courses to people who have been unemployed for six months or longer. In the current economic climate the long-term unemployed find it harder to find work as more people compete for jobs.
Mr Denham said: "Further Education Colleges are right at the frontline in helping the unemployed into work, particularly during a recession. Across the country they are looking at ways they can help people gain the skills they need to find and hold onto sustainable employment. Colleges can be leaders in their communities, working together and championing the interests of particular groups of people - in this case, those who need help to return to the job market.
"I would encourage people across Dudley to take advantage of these training opportunities available at the college, whether they are facing redundancy or have been out of work for some time. We will not stand by and leave people abandoned on the dole with no support.
"In these tough times we must do all we can to help people back into work and prepare for the upturn when it comes. We know that people with up-to-date skills will find it easier to find work and businesses with well trained staff are better placed to survive the recession and take advantage of new opportunities.
"Our primary aim is to keep the time people spend out of work to a minimum while making the return to work a stepping stone to a more skilled future.
"We are currently refocusing the whole skills system, making it more flexible and able to adapt to meet the changing needs of people and businesses across the West Midlands."
The £83 million was announced in January to offer around 75,000 people high quality training places to help them back into work over the next two years, as part of the Government's support package for people out of work.