Minister Baroness Warsi says diverse city should focus on emerging markets (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Minister Baroness Warsi says diverse city should focus on emerging markets

7:00am Saturday 21st January 2012 in Bradford By Jonathan Redhead

Baroness Warsi is shown around Seabrook’s factory by business development manager Gordon Chrispin

Bradford already has what it needs to grow and be a economic success story, a Government minister claimed yesterday.

Dewsbury-born Baroness Sayeeda Warsi got a first-hand view of how the city is faring in the current economic climate with a tour which included a visit to crisps makers Seabrook.

And in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph & Argus, the co-chairman of the Conservative party and cabinet minister without portfolio, urged business leaders across Bradford to make the most of its “phenomenally diverse community” to flourish, despite unemployment in the city standing at six per cent.

She said countries with growing economies like Pakistan should be business targets.

“Bradford should work out who it is,” said the Baroness, who is the first Muslim woman to serve in the cabinet.

“What Bradford has it is ahead of the curve because Bradford is diverse.

“At a time when Britain knows it is going to have to sell to markets outside its immediate neighbours because that’s where the world is growing, what Bradford has is a phenomenally diverse community which is linked to places around the world which almost make it the ideal place to be that driver of growth to rest of the world.

“There are huge returns to be made in emerging markets at the moment.

“I’ve just come back from Pakistan and in one of the papers there was an interesting piece about the way I do diplomacy.

“It was about an authentic form of diplomacy, but it was just me being me because my parents do originate from there, I speak the language, I understand the culture, I don’t carry the baggage of colonialism, I just get on with diplomacy in a very open frank way.

“Take that same example and put it into business. Bradford has some of the best connections to Pakistan and other places around the world where business can be done and is also the ideal place for places around the world to come and trade with us.”

The Baroness also backed the city’s schools to provide the education and workforce to push it on.