A WANNABE MP has criticised European Trade Commissioner Baroness Ashton for not responding to concerns about an unfair trading advantage which he believes is jeopardising Derby jobs.

Stephen Mold, the prospective Conservative candidate for Derby North, has written to Baroness Ashton about policies in Japan which prevent UK companies tendering for rail contracts.

The issue was highlighted earlier this year by the Derby Telegraph's Change Track campaign, launched following the Government's decision to award the £7.5bn Intercity Express Programme contract to Japanese firm Hitachi.

Hitachi was chosen ahead of train company Bombardier, which employs 2,400 people at its Litchurch Lane factory.

The campaign revealed that although Japanese firms can tender for UK rail projects, British firms could not tender for ones in their country.

Mr Mold said he wrote to Baroness Ashton more than two months ago about the issue but had had no response.

He said: "The situation is completely unacceptable.

"We are simply asking Baroness Ashton for a reasonable explanation."