Framfield firm's anger at loss of swords contract

Crisp & Sons, based in Framfield, near Heathfield, was subcontracted to manufacture and refurbish ceremonial swords for the MoD on behalf of Wilkinson Sword.

When Wilkinson closed its factory in 2005, the Sussex company continued to work for the MoD until September last year, when the contract was awarded to another firm, Pooley Sword.

Pooley, based in Brighton, had also worked for the MoD in the past. Instead of manufacturing blades in the UK it imports them from India.

Matthew Crisp, director of Crisp & Sons, believes the MoD should have awarded the work to his company as it uses only UK-based firms in the manufacturing process. He said: “The MoD are well aware of where the swords are coming from.

“When you listen to the Government they are always talking about giving business to small British companies and supporting the UK economy.

“To then use a company which imports its swords from India is very hypocritical.2 Mr Crisp said the business would not have made three workers redundant if it had won the contract and would even have been able to hire up to five more staff. He added: “It has not just hurt our company.

“All our suppliers are small British companies and we support the British steel industry as well. It was a fairly big blow but fortunately for us we still get an immense amount of work from other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and Canada.”

A spokesman for the MoD said: “The choice of contractor is regulated by the EU and as such, all prime contractors are UK or Europe-based, and in this case the contractor is a UK company, based in Sussex.

“If, however, there is limited UK-based manufacturing capacity, bidders for our contracts may find it necessary, on occasion, to take specialist production offshore.

“In this instance, Pooley Swords offered manufacture that would be carried out in both the UK and India and refurbishment in the UK.”

A spokesman for Pooley Swords refused to comment.