Ceramics

“Ceramics are who we are in North Staffordshire; they are in our DNA.”

As the MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, I am more than aware of the importance of the ceramics industry and its vast heritage in the area.

I am the vice-president on the APPG (All-party Parliamentary Groups) on ceramics. The point of this is provide a forum for discussing the work of the UK Ceramics sector for both companies and employees to support the work and production of UK Ceramics.

On a 6th July 2026, I spoke during the Westminster Hall debate, which was triggered by a petition, with over 100,000 signatures, calling for support for the ceramics industry.

I praised the Government for their £120 million Ceramics Support Package, to use  for innovation, safeguarding of jobs and securing a sustainable future.

“In less than two years, three fantastic companies in my constituency have faced an uncertain future. At Moorcroft, I supported workers at risk of redundancy alongside Sharon, and I am not too proud to say that my emotions got the better of me as I listened to the worries of the 30 workers in that room who had collectively amassed over 800 years of craftsmanship, skills and talents between them. At Royal Stafford, we did the same—again, hundreds of years of skills and talents were at risk. Those meetings were tough and emotional, but they reaffirmed to me the importance of why we had to keep fighting for our pots: if those companies are allowed to go, with them will also go the skills and talents of our workforce. More recently, Burleigh, the country’s oldest Victorian pot bank, was at risk following its owners, Denby, falling into administration”

In June 2026, I was delighted to hear how Moorcroft factory had been bought back after liquidation, by the Grandson of the original founder. This meant 57 workers could return to work and is a huge win for the local area.

The loss of Royal Stafford and Heraldic Pottery in 2025 has left a devastating hole in the industry. I have, along with Stoke-on-Trent Council have called upon the government for support for manufacturers that have been hit by rising energy costs and cheap foreign imports.

During a recent visit to the are, then Chancellor, Rachel Reeves suggested that ramping up the UK’s renewable energy production through government-owned Great British Energy would help protect ceramic firms from rocketing gas costs.