NEARLY 200,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost across Britain and Northern Ireland since the Tories came to power in 2010, new research revealed today.

General union GMB said its study shows that the total number of positions across the sector has slumped from 2.9 million to almost 2.7m — 6.7 per cent of the total. 

Scotland has been hit the hardest, losing 31,300 jobs or 15 per cent overall, followed by the east of England with about 14 per cent.