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The warning comes after Jaguar Land Rover – whose workers belong to GMB – called for “free and frictionless trade with the EU and unrestricted access to the single market”. If not, the country’s largest vehicle manufacturer said more than 250,000 supply chain jobs and £80bn investment over the next five years would be at risk.
“Jaguar Land Rover’s heart and soul is in the UK,” said JLR chief executive officer Ralf Speth. “However we, and our partners in the supply chain, face an unpredictable future… We urgently need greater certainty to continue to invest heavily in the UK and safeguard our suppliers, customers and 40,000 British-based employees.”
The “wrong” result from Brexit could also jeopardise Britain’s attempts to lead the world in electrified and ‘smart’ connected transport, Speth said – and the significant economic and productivity opportunities.
The plea, which follows a similar statement from Airbus, comes amid government infighting and EU criticism of the UK’s negotiation offers.
“The government is still spending more time squabbling with each other rather than listen to real warnings from industry,” said GMB senior organiser Stuart Richards. “Our members at Jaguar Land Rover do skilled jobs with decent pay and contribute millions to the real economy. We cannot afford to lose Jaguar Land Rover and its supply chain - it would be an economic car crash.”
The union called for “a clear commitment to the UK being part of a customs union with Europe,” and said the government must focus on the lives of Britain’s workers and their families rather than internal bickering.
JLR has facilities in Warwickshire, Coventry, Birmingham and nearby Solihull, Merseyside and Wolverhampton, building cars including the Jaguar F-Type, Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Discovery. It previously announced cuts in production in Merseyside and job losses in Solihull.
A “bad” Brexit would cost the company more than £1.2bn profit each year, Speth claimed, threatening plans to invest £80bn over the next five years.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.