Dyson is slashing its UK workforce by a third

The electricals brand said the plans would ensure it was “prepared for the future”, while operating in “increasingly fierce and competitive global markets”.

Dyson has 3,500 employees working in the UK from office locations in Wiltshire, Bristol and London. 

Founder of Dyson, Sir James Dyson, has been a long-time critic of the UK’s economic policies and moved the headquarters of the business to Singapore a year before the pandemic hit to be closer to its manufacturing sites. 

CEO Hanno Kirner said Dyson must be “entrepreneurial and agile”, and “decisions which impact close and talented colleagues are always incredibly painful”. 

“Those whose roles are at risk of redundancy as a result of the proposals will be supported through the process.”

Last year Sir James said the UK’s high corporation tax and other economic policies were “woeful” and vowed to invest more in “modern, forward-looking economies elsewhere”. 

Despite this, Dyson said the UK would “remain a vital centre” for its research and development (R&D) division and the Dyson Insitute for undergraduate engineers. 

According to the BBC, a Dyson employee who received notice said: “Everyone involved in R&D have now exited all Dyson buildings” and the move was “in stark contrast to James’ promise that R&D would remain in the UK after the Singapore headquarter move. We believe this is obviously to cut costs by using our South East Asian counterparts who are cheaper to employ” – a claim which Dyson has said is “categorically not correct”.