The number of UK factory workers has declined 1m since 2001.

In the past six years, manufacturing employment has declined at a greater rate in the UK than its international competitors, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Data published on Monday showed that employment in UK factories fell 21.7% from 4.2 million to 3.2 million during the period, the newspaper said.

In the US the number of factory workers fell 17.7% to 14m, whilst figures declined 6.8% to 5.9m in Germany, and 0.8% to 4.8m in Italy. There were also falls in France and Japan of 13.5% and 8.5% respectively.

UK output figures since 2001 were disappointing, dropping 1.3%, particularly compared with Germany, the US and Japan which all recorded increases of 18.6%, 15% and 12% respectively.

Italy recorded an even bigger decline in volume than the UK however of 4.8%, whilst France’s increase was minimal at 2%.

By Natasha Piscitelli