REDDITCH MP Chris Bloore has called for a full parliamentary debate on strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience following the devastating cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and the recent nationwide Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage.
Speaking during the Business of the House debate in the House of Commons, Mr Bloore warned that the JLR cyber-attack had a ‘devastating impact – not only on JLR itself but across its supply chain, including several firms in Redditch and across the West Midlands.’
The MP welcomed the Government’s £1.5billion loan guarantee to support JLR and its supply chain, which has safeguarded thousands of jobs and provided vital stability to businesses affected by the disruption.
However, he stressed that the incident demonstrated the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to strengthen cyber-defences across manufacturing and other critical sectors.
He said: “These two incidents show just how vulnerable we are to digital disruption, whether from cyber-attacks or technical failures. We must build long-term resilience to protect jobs, supply chains and public services.”
In response, Leader of the House Sir Alan Campbell agreed that cyber-security is an important national concern, encouraging Mr Bloore to seek his own debate to further highlight the issue.
He confirmed that the Government is working with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to equip businesses with tools, advice and support to protect against cyber threats.
The cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover, which began in early September, forced the company to halt global production for several weeks, causing major disruption across the automotive supply chain.
In Redditch alone, several local firms linked to the JLR network reported severe cash flow challenges and temporary layoffs.
The AWS outage, which occurred in mid-October, caused widespread digital failures, impacting businesses, hospitals and public services – reinforcing the growing need for resilient, diversified and secure IT infrastructure.
Mr Bloore added: “Reactive support is essential but we also need a proactive strategy to make sure incidents like this never happen again.
“Parliament must lead the way in driving stronger cyber resilience – ensuring our manufacturers, suppliers and public services have the expertise, support and infrastructure needed to withstand future threats.”
