BRITISH manufacturing is on the brink of contraction because the government’s strategy is all “built on slogans and soundbites,” unions warned yesterday.

New figures from the Markit/CIPS manufacturing purchasing managers’ index showed the sector barely remained in growth, with a reading of 50.8 in February, down from 52.9 in January. Readings below 50 indicate decline.

The figure is the worst since August 2013 and will cause embarrassment for the Tories who have boasted of their administration bringing about “the march of the makers.”

Markit senior economist Ron Dobson said: “The near-stagnation of manufacturing highlights the ongoing fragility of the economic recovery at the start of the year.

“The breadth of the slowdown is especially worrisome. The domestic market is showing signs of weakening, while export business continued to fall.”

General union Unite, which represents hundreds of thousands of manufacturing workers, said it had been warning “for some time” of impending contraction in the sector.

“The government has no manufacturing strategy or industrial strategy,” assistant general secretary Tony Burke blasted.

“The situation has been exacerbated by the steel industry crisis, and the situation for companies in the [steel] supply chain. But it all adds up to government inaction all round.”

Mr Burke also said there was “no question” that the “uncertainty over the EU referendum” and the possibility of a British withdrawal had destabilised industry.

“The reality is that all of the government’s manufacturing strategy is built on slogans and soundbites,” he said.

“The march of the makers is now in reverse, and the northern powerhouse is under water. It’s going southwards all the time.”

Manufacturing bosses’ association EEF said that February highlighted the continued bad news in the energy sector. North Sea oil workers have recently complained that government promises of investment and tax relief have failed to prevent an assault on jobs and conditions.

“Manufacturers face a challenging environment, with subdued demand from emerging markets and the ongoing weakness of the oil price weighing heavily on companies in the oil and gas supply chain,” EEF deputy chief economist Zach Witton said.