“Eighteen per cent of the UK's Gross domestic Product is car exports. To people who say, 'well that's only 18 per cent, it doesn't matter', I say that manufacturing does matter. In the US, it is 16 per cent of GDP, in France it's 19 per cent and in Germany it's 18 per cent. We are ahead of the curve – but of course, you won't read about that in the press because it's good news.

“But we need to keep getting better across manufacturing and in car manufacturing we have an industry that is doing it better than the rest.

Manufacturing is alive and well, but that's only because it has moved to the quality end of the market, adding value. If we think that we can only sell on price then we are finished. And the unions need to beware – the jobs of their members are on the line and if think they can flex their muscles and get militancy in the automotive industry I'm telling them not to do it.”

Jones calls on the UK Government to help the industry: “We need a tax regime that says you can keep more of what you earn – then more money will be spent on research and development. The Government needs to stimulate us and put the wind under our wings,” he says.

“There is a major issue on education. We need skilled people and they have to be constantly reskilled, but the only people who can sort this out are the companies themselves.

“The Government won't help, it's up to us to get a more productive workforce and a better society.”