Burberry attacked over new factory by Rhondda MP

The Leeds manufacturing and weaving facility will produce Burberry's trench coats

Burberry's plans for a new clothing factory in Yorkshire show its reasons for closing one in the south Wales valleys were just "excuses", Rhondda Labour MP Chris Bryant has said.

The firm is investing £50m in a "trench coat manufacturing and weaving facility" in Leeds, creating 200 jobs.

Burberry closed its Treorchy factory in 2007, with the loss of 300 jobs.

The firm said at the time the plant was not "commercially viable", and it was moving production abroad.

Burberry directors said the polo shirts produced in Treorchy could be made at greater quality and with "significantly lower" cost overseas.

On Wednesday, Mr Bryant told BBC Wales: "I'm delighted that Burberry are doing so well, but I'm still angry that the senior management made the decision to abandon the loyal workforce in Treorchy.

"It seems all their excuses about the cheaper costs of working overseas were nothing more than that - excuses."

Under the Yorkshire plans, announced on Monday, two existing Burberry sites in Castleford and Keighley will close, with 770 staff expected to move to the new base in Leeds.

Burberry is not commenting on Mr Bryant's criticism.