During a visit to Birmingham Airport last Thursday, the Prime Minister announced the creation of nearly 10,000 new jobs in the UK. Birmingham Airport will account for most of these jobs, with 4,000 more people to be employed on site and a similar number in the supply chain. The airport’s expansion project includes a £40 million extended runway, due to be operational later this summer.

David Cameron said: “A key part of our long-term economic plan is to create jobs and to cut taxes, so I am delighted that — in the week where we are cutting income tax for 26 million people and taking three million out of income tax altogether — I can announce nearly 10,000 more jobs that will give people financial security for the future."

The runway extension will increase Birmingham Airport’s ability to handle long-haul flights. It will bring the Far East and the west coast of the USA within range; there will also be new routes to New York, Bangladesh and China. The other new jobs will be at communications giant Vodafone, which is taking on an extra 1,400 people, while Accenture — the global management consulting firm — is hiring 500 more people.