A cyber attack that hit carmaker Jaguar Land Rover in August, forcing it to halt production until at least October, has sent a shockwave through British industry and needs government intervention, according to a senior Labour MP.
Liam Byrne, chairman of the business and trade select committee, said the issues at JLR are “a test for government”.
The Unite union has called for a Covid-style furlough scheme for workers in the company’s supply chain.
Mr Byrne backed those calls, warning that while 30,000 people were employed directly, the pause in production would indirectly affect up to 200,000 jobs in its supply chain.
The Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North said: “This is no small glitch. This is a cyber-shockwave that has brought yet another national institution to a standstill.
“Jaguar Land Rover is not just a carmaker. It is the heart of our advanced manufacturing, the anchor of a vast supply chain, and a cornerstone of both our regional and national economy.”
He said it was not clear if October 1 was the definitive day for JLR to restart production.
“They are going through a restoration of their back-up systems, we don’t know if there is data [that has] been lost. We just don’t know whether we’ve got 100 per cent probability of JLR coming back online and everything working smoothly.”
He added: “This is not a problem for JLR alone. This is a test for government. We will keep pressing ministers to track both the immediate and the wider economic fallout – and to be ready to act.”
Mr Byrne said people were losing their jobs through no fault of their own, adding “we need those people and those skills kept attached to these firms”.
The UK must not allow a cyber attack to “take down JLR and the supply chain then go down, because it’s incredibly difficult to put it back together again”, he told the BBC on Wednesday.
Mr Byrne said many firms do not have the resilience to defend themselves against cyber attacks, which meant there is a good public policy case for state help.
He said the JLR attack appeared much more serious than those on British retailers Marks & Spencer and the Co-op earlier this year.
Industry Minister Chris McDonald has said he is “supremely confident” that JLR will get through the incident, but warned that it should be a wake-up call for British industry.
Mr McDonald said: “We can’t underestimate just how serious the attack is,” as he visited Webasto, which supplies parts to JLR, in Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, on Tuesday.
He added: “The most important thing for people to remember is that JLR will get through this.
“They’re a large company, they are very well supported by their parent [Tata], they’ve reorganised themselves internally to be able to deal with this. They’re making progress every single day.”
He added: “What I really want this to be is a wake-up call to British industry. I’m affronted by this attack on British industry. This is a serious attack on a flagship of British industry.”
Mr McDonald encouraged anyone running a business to “presume that you are under cyber attack” and make sure the company’s cyber security is up to date.
He said: “There are people every single day, it’s their job to do this, they are trying to take British companies down.”
When asked if there are plans for a furlough scheme, Mr McDonald said: “It’s really important that anything that happens is led by the businesses themselves, rather than saying we should pick a scheme off the shelf and apply that to the entire supply chain, which might help some businesses and not help other businesses.
“I think what’s important is to be responsive to the business leaders. People running the businesses know the businesses better than anybody else so I want to talk to them and find out what they think their issues are.”
MPs from across the West Midlands and Merseyside, where JLR has plants, have called for Business Secretary Peter Kyle to consider Covid-style loans to support supply chain firms.
Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker said it is “really important” that the British government understands the impact on businesses in the region.
He said: “At this point in time, JLR and the government are collating information on the impact that the lockdown has had on the supply chain: businesses here in the West Midlands.
“When we have got that information we will be in a better place to assess what’s needed to ensure that we protect jobs and ensure that the supply chain remains in place when Jaguar is back producing cars.”
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali
Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”
Favourite TV programme: the news
Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”
Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Company%20Profile
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Brief scores:
England: 290 & 346
Sri Lanka: 336 & 243
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
