UK government unveils £275m investment in training and apprenticeships in England

Labour makes funding centrepiece of its industrial strategy in bid to counter Reform's surge in so-called red wall

The government will present a 275m investment in technical training and apprenticeships as the centrepiece of its long-awaited industrial strategy, in a direct challenge to Nigel Farage's growing influence in England's manufacturing heartlands.

The package, announced by the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, on Sunday, includes funding for new technical excellence colleges, short courses in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital manufacturing, and major capital upgrades to training providers across England.