An £800m deal at BAE Systems in Brough has signalled victory for the Hull Daily Mail’s campaign to keep the plant open.

The paper has kept the issue in the spotlight with its Sign it Now campaign, calling on the Government to channel a key Ministry of Defence contract its way and avoid the threat of 450 job losses – which would have been devastating to the local economy.

Mail editor John Meehan said: “We couldn’t sit back and do nothing.”

Tony Blair also paid tribute to the dedicated Yorkshire workforce and the Mail’s campaign after the MoD announcement that would safeguard all 2,200 jobs in Brough.

Writing exclusively for the Mail, he said: “If the contract for the advanced jet trainers had gone elsewhere, up to 2,200 jobs at Brough and as many again in the wider area could have been under threat.

“Our decision underlines this Government’s commitment both to this area and to British manufacturing.”

Despite the announcement of job losses the paper never gave up and urged company managers, workers and local business leaders to pull out all the stops to win the vital contract.

John said: “It is the role of local newspapers to ask why such decisions have been made – and what can be done to overturn them. This is what we set out to achieve from day one.”

Business reporter Paul Baxter told readers how he realised the story changed his perception of how reporters were supposed to remain distanced from the news they were reporting.

He said: “For the past eight months, BAE Systems’ Brough site has felt like a second place of work for me.

“When the Mail launched its campaign to help save 2,000 jobs, I had no idea how deeply involved I would become.

“As reporters, we are supposed to remain impartial. However, for me, this story has broken that rule entirely.

“When 450 redundancies were announced last November, the Mail immediately decided to work alongside mangers, union leaders and the workforce to help in any way we could to save the site.

“Over the past eight months, I have been given an amazing insight into the tremendous way the Brough site operates.

“Other companies in similar situations would have been held back by managers and workers at loggerheads.

“This has never been the case at Brough. All have pulled together.”

BAE Systems has been given the order to build 20 new Hawk aircraft due to go into service in 2008.

The MoD has an option to buy a further 24 jets after 2008, which would take the overall value of the deal to £800m.

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