Luton is reeling from the news that Vauxhall is set to close its car factory after 120 years in a move the company is blaming on the Government’s Net Zero EV sales targets. The Mail has more.
Stellantis, which also controls the Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen brands, has blamed Government EV sales targets for the decision to shutter the factory, which first opened in 1905 and has been making vans for almost a century.
The Luton factory had been set for a retooling to make the electric version of the Vivaro van before the plug was pulled on Tuesday afternoon – to the shock of workers, some of whom have worked at the plant for decades.
Factory workers were handed notices yesterday to inform them of the plan to consult on the plan to close Luton, while also investing £50 million in the Ellesmere Port facility in Cheshire so the vans can be made there, 140 miles away.
More than 1,100 jobs are at risk – though Stellantis says “hundreds” of roles will be transferred to the other factory, with relocation packages on offer.
The leader of Luton Council, Hazel Sim called the news a “devastating blow” for the town.
Some, including one forklift driver, had to learn via messages on WhatsApp because he wasn’t on shift – a move the worker described as “pretty rubbish”.
“There’s a lot of people there, a lot of people coming up to retirement and youngsters – it’s going to hit the town hard,” said the man, who spoke to the BBC anonymously.
“As there’s a lot of people that depend on Vauxhall to supply parts, there’s going to be a big knock-on effect.
“It’s going to hit the town hard. It will be huge.”
Cllr Hazel Simmons MBE, leader of Luton Council, said: “Today’s news that Vauxhall plans to close its van making factory in Luton is a devastating blow for our town.”
Seems that Luton is another town missing out on all those ‘green jobs’ we were promised.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: In the Spectator, Ross Clark says the “EV craze is killing our car industry“. He points out that the Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate was introduced by the Conservative Government using its Brexit freedoms to be stricter than Europe (thanks, guys) and that Stellantis was all in favour of the mandate when it was consulted on it 2023. Madness.
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And sadly, it’s governments of both colours responsible.
But only one colour will blame Brexit.
Another victim of Dogma and Ideology. Shut it down on the same day the Government launches its laughable ‘scheme for growth’, while India and China are continuing to build coal fired power as they are UN ‘Developing’, not ‘Developed’ countries. I wonder what future historians will make of all this…
and gleefully announces it is part of per annum U$300 billion fight against the weather….the retard in these cults and in gov’t runs very deep (as does the money laundering, corruption etc)
Fair play to them. If there’s free money flying about then who can blame them for taking it?
What manufacturing jobs Labour can’t kill with net zero, they’re killing with taxation.
Expect more private sector job killing with unlimited immigration, defence cuts, loss of mining, high energy prices …
Tories no better.
Make anything more expensive = get less of it.
Not difficult to understand.
Make manufacturing more expensive, get less of it.
Make employing people more expensive, get less of it.
Try telling that to Rachel from Accounts.
Good. More job losses please.
No jobs, no electricity, no food – might just get the dozy population beyond just signing petitions.
Those of us old enough will remember the Conservative Party 1979 election posters: “Labour Isn’t Working” with a long queue outside the dole office.
Of course since Labour is just Continuity Conservative it might equally be said: Conservatives Isn’t Working.
Conservatives want to drive us off the cliff at a slower rate. But they both agree on the direction. We will see how much the public can tolerate.
They’re NOT Conservatives. They’re imposters.
Totally open gaol for Reform, hope they used it in Parliament to admonish all of the Uni-parties who push this cr*p with no critical inquiry.
Slightly off topic but on BBC Radio Four they were banging on about why Elon Musk is so interested in UK affairs’
Here is where American readers might say – Hey what’s this to do with us? Didn’t we toss those guys out in 1776?
Well, because these days, according to the report, one of the values in news is that
Wow! People still listen to BBC Radio Four? I’m surprised any regular of this site listens, unless it’s to understand how the other side thinks.
There are still some good programmes on Radio 4 that are worth listening to, not many, but some, some that aren’t infused with the BBC’s woke agenda and don’t blame climate change or Elon Musk for the latest problems.
The shipping forecast perhaps…
And if you’re awake in the small hours, you can listen to the propaganda channel (World Service) on the same frequencies. While the old Droitwich 1500m transmitter is still working (it is at present), it’s got a long range well into northern France.
The latter of course, and no DAB.
The governments have been signalling this for some time. Why the surprise?
As far as I’m aware nobody in government has done or commissioned any report on the economics of having almost no vehicle industry. They all seem to spout platitudes about affordable EVs in the future but the only examples seem to be made in China.
Because there are no business people in government, or indeed Parliament, and no real economists either.
My belief is that know all of this very well, they just don’t give a toss.
Especially Ed Miliband!
“Cllr Hazel Simmons MBE, leader of Luton Council”
Member of the Net Zero Labour Party so she can damn well shut her gob.
How can she “suck it up” if she’s “shut her gob”?
Hazel Simmons of the Labour Party and never had a proper job in her life outside the public sector. Welcome to the result of the stupid policies of your party.
There are plenty of “green jobs” being created, producing solar panels, wind turbines, EVs, batteries, heat pumps etc. The only slight inconvenience is that they’re all in China.
Mopping up the last dregs of a once proud country and industry. All of us in a state of squalid impotence and them taking delight in us knowing it. We know that they know, they know that we know etc. The Wendigo system is a tough nut to crack that is why you seldom hear cogent proposals of a solution.
Net Zero Closes British Car Manufacturing
You can ask the question, how do you give a blood transfusion to a corpse? And a second question, are we a corpse? And if we aren’t a corpse then that are we exactly, what do we have left? Even at this level you will struggle to get satisfying answers.
Nuts zero, green communism is killing us. An the British voter gave Labour a chance by not voting for someone. Fecking idiots we are. Britain deserves its punishment for being so stupid. Could’ve voted Reform instead, but didn’t. Dumb assess.
Start mining coal and fracking the gas that’s under out feet. Build new, high tech, clean burning coal plants and out us back to energy independence and stable and reliable power. Get British industry back. Make England Great Again – MEGA
That is really really sad. A friend of mine at SITP works in the paint shop there. A very brave man who stood up to their ridiculous “Covid” rules, had running battles even with his Union over it and won!
RIP Vauxhall Luton
First they closed Aluminium smelting … and voters did nothing
Then they closed all coal production …. and voters did nothing
Next they closed steel production …. and voters did nothing
Then they banned gas and oil exploration … and voters have done nothing
Then they tried to drive Farmers out of business … and voters have started to wake up
Now they’re closing car manufacturers
They’re coming for YOU next.
WAKE UP. It has nothing to do with the Climate and everything to do with destruction of our lives.