Hain meets management
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain met with Burberry management this morning to demand a u-turn on the factory closure at Treorchy.

He said: 'Unfortunately, although the consultation on the factory's future remains open until January 5, Burberry gave me no assurances that a rescue package would be found.

'However, Burberry told me they were committed to doing all they could to support the workforce.'

The Welsh Secretary met with commercial director and company secretary Michael Mahony and head of human resources Deborah Baker.

Shadow secretary of state for Wales Cheryl Gillan also met with Burberry management last night, to discuss the closure. Gillan told Retail Week that Burberry 'gave the impression it was very keen to work with the Treorchy workers, with no indication that they had ruled anything out'.

The Welsh shadow secretary also revealed that Burberry's production costs in the UK were more than double that of manufacturing facilities in China. However, Gillan's main concern was the potential job losses and their effect on the Welsh community, as a result of the factory's closure.

Hain said to Burberry management that he was astonished that a company, such as Burberry, which has built its reputation as an iconic British brand, could justify moving its production overseas. He said: 'It would be like Gucci pulling out of Italy.'

According to Hain's office, he was also expected to question Burberry chief executive Angela Ahrendt's£3.8 million annual salary, compared with the£1.9 million cost of redundancy at the Treorchy site.

However, Hain has agreed with Burberry that details of their discussions would remain largely private.

The GMB union has proposed setting up a sample prototype company in the factory, with Burberry to act as project manager.

A Burberry spokesman said: 'We are in discussion with the Welsh Clothing and Textile Association, investigating how we might help them develop a new business idea at the Treorchy site.'