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Jaguar Land Rover commits to the UK, but 1,100 jobs could go at Ford

The post-Brexit landscape for the UK car industry has become a little clearer in the last 24 hours with mixed news from two global automotive giants.

In a significant commitment to the UK yesterday, Jaguar Land Rover announced that its new model, the Velar, would be manufactured exclusively from its Solihull plant in the West Midlands which currently supports over 10,000 jobs.

Long central to the British luxury car market, Land Rovers account for 85% of all UK luxury car exports with the new Velar set to be available in 100 global markets by the summer.

Chief Executive at the firm, Ralf Speth said the move reaffirmed the carmaker’s ‘confidence in British manufacturing’.

He added: “We are leading the global premium car industry with our commitment to our home market, and our heart, soul and headquarters will always be in the UK.”

In less heartening news, the GMB has criticised US car giant Ford’s role in ongoing talks to safeguard jobs at its Bridgend plant in south Wales.

Union bosses, who were in negotiations with the Ford hierarchy yesterday afternoon (March 1), said that the worst case scenario could be realised with 1,100 jobs at risk over the next five years.

Speaking to Sky News, Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey, claimed that the spectre of Brexit was influencing the carmaker’s decision, and implored the government to ensure the automotive industry retained its access to the single market.

“Brexit is clearly a factor here,” he said. “So I appeal again to the Westminster government and Theresa May to make it categorically clear without delay that there will be tariff-free access to the single market and customs union, because the uncertainty the UK’s automotive sector is enduring is having damaging real-life consequences now, before talks have even begun.”

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