Sharon Hodgson MP: We are helping to create and support hundreds of jobs in the North East

This new site is set to be JATCO’s first ever UK and European plant and will create hundreds of jobs in the North East. This builds on Nissan’s £2billion investment in our region back in 2023 to build electric vehicles.

From 2026, JATCO aims to produce 340,000 electric powertrains – the equivalent of an engine for electric vehicles – per year to supply new generations of Nissan electric vehicles.

This is absolutely key for this Labour Government’s commitment to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The UK is already the largest Electric Vehicle market in Europe – nonetheless this investment bolsters our position as a trailblazer in this industry and boosts our domestic Electric Vehicle manufacturing capabilities significantly.

This is a Government that takes our environmental growth mission seriously. Unlike the previous Conservative government who kept moving the goalpost on phase out dates, the motor industry and investors now have clarity to plan for the future and put their trust in our economy. We are restoring clarity for manufacturers and providing renewed confidence for both businesses wanting to invest and consumers considering making the switch. This is the difference a serious Government makes.

But the environmental perks are just one aspect of a hugely beneficial announcement. Securing investment is also central to the government’s mission to deliver economic growth which will create jobs, improve living standards, and make communities and families across the country better off as part of our Plan for Change. This is a key cornerstone of this Labour Government’s mission to kickstart the economic growth this country so desperately needs after 14 years of Tory stagnation and decline.

We are helping to create and support hundreds of jobs in the North East because unlike the previous Government who saw “levelling up” as a meaningless political slogan - we are taking action to make working people feel better off in every single corner of the country.

This announcement not only highlights confidence in our economy, but it underscores the trust industry and investors have in the North East. This Government has a key mission to drive growth and it is clear the North East will be a leading region in achieving this.

As the Member of Parliament for Washington and Gateshead South, I am beyond proud to be part of a Government that has given businesses the assurance necessary to locate in our region. The North East is playing a leading role in creating opportunities for local people – and for the UK as a whole – and it is thanks to this Labour Government.