Sunderland MP urges Government to give industry support after Nissan commits to Wearside

The car giant’s global chief operating officer said this week that the UK’s Brexit deal had given the Sunderland plant a competitive advantage and pledged the firm would ‘take this opportunity to redefine the auto industry in the United Kingdom’.

“Brexit has brought the business continuity in the short-term, protects 75,000 jobs across Europe and most importantly – all of our models which we manufacture in Sunderland.”

Nissan’s supplier Envision will start producing the 62kw/h batteries required for the new long-range version of the Leaf later this year to ensure all products produced at the plant – including the Qashqai e-Power - will qualify for the rules of origin set out under the UK’s Brexit deal.

Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson welcomed the firm’s commitment but said more needed to be done to guarantee the future of UK manufacturing.

“This is good news for Nissan, and will provide much-needed assurance to workers,” she said.

“Britain used to lead the world when it came to developing the technologies and jobs of the future. As the transition to electric vehicles accelerates, it's vital the Government puts in place a proper industrial strategy to build it in Britain again so that companies like Nissan can help drive a sustainable recovery from this crisis and support clean, new jobs across the country.

“Ministers should be working to ensure electric car batteries can be made in the UK, and to bring forward improvements to our charging infrastructure so demand for electric vehicles is sustained into the future.”

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