Unions have won an unlikely ally in their campaign for a government industrial strategy after right-wing lobbyists Civitas warned Britain faces losing thousands of manufacturing jobs. 

Its “picking winners” report warned Con-Dem coalition leaders to abandon free-market ideology or see Britain hemorrhage jobs to countries like Brazil, China and Japan.

Author Kaveh Pourvand called on ministers to take inspiration from post-WWII investment in the aerospace and automotive industries.