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An MP has slammed "predatory business takeovers" after claiming hundreds of jobs at a Wrexham firm were lost to India.

Ian Lucas raised the matter in the House of Commons on Thursday after US-backed finance company Refinitiv informed 300 workers on Wednesday that their office at Redwither Tower in Wrexham was being closed and posts moved to India.

The company, formerly known as Avox, only began trading as Refinitiv on October 1, and nine days later the jobs were transferred to Bangalore .

Mr Lucas vented his anger during Business Questions, asking for an urgent debate on "predatory business takeovers".

He said: "Yesterday, 300 of my constituents in Wrexham were made redundant having, in the last 10 years, taken forward a business originally called Avox then DTCC.

"But now a company called Refinitiv has taken the business over and immediately made 300 people (redundant), and off-shored the jobs to India.

(Image: Daily Post Wales)

“Can we have an urgent discussion of these appalling practises in business which put people on the scrapheap when they have worked so hard for so many years?”

Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom said the news was "concerning".

Mr Lucas said he was "shocked" by the move and had already contacted the firm to express his disappointment and demand more information.

He added the company would regret "casting aside" a loyal and skilled workforce.

Staff at the newly formed company were called into a meeting by bosses on Wednesday and given the shock news the office would close and their work transferred to India.

The data services workers had worked for Avox Ltd before it was purchased by Thomson Reuters in 2017 and this month transferred into the new company Refinitiv, in a partnership with US investors Blackstone.

One worker told the Daily Post: "Since the new company was set up this month there were a few concerns about the future but we knew the work we did here was of a very high standard so people were confident about the future.

"But this afternoon we were called in and given the news that they intended to close the site and that work would be moved to Bangalore.

"It was a complete shock and we think this is all about saving money."

A spokesman for the company said it wanted to ensure it had the "right people in the right markets".

He added: "We recognise the impact this would have on the Wrexham community and we are in close dialogue with our Wrexham-based colleagues and their representatives.

"We are committed to ensuring those affected are properly supported through this process."