Wallasey MP Angela Eagle has pledged to fight the shock closure of Burton's Foods.

The company announced today that following a strategic review, its intention is to shut the Moreton business and make 342 staff redundant.

Ms Eagle told the Globe: "Local people feel shocked and betrayed after Burton’s Foods decision to announce the complete closure of the biscuit factory in Moreton with the loss of 342 local jobs.

"The company intend to phase down production from March before completing the closure later in 2011 and moving production elsewhere.

"This comes after the local Tory led council cuts meant that 369 jobs were lost in the run up to Christmas with another 100 going in the coming months and another 700 more under consideration."

Ms Eagle added: "It is a huge blow to our community, this is the largest private sector employer in the constituency and they have decided to close this plant at a time when the job market is deeply depressed leaving 342 families struggling after Christmas.

"I will pledge to work during the consultation to persuade them to change this decision.

"Over the years we have given endless support to the plant injecting public money to keep it going and secure those jobs and it is a devastating blow that they turn around today and do this to Moreton.

"We had the Prime Minister in Wallasey last week on his growth tour, there’s little sign of this government's reckless gamble with the economy working here."