‘Devastating news’ for the North East
Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, said that the news is “devastating” for her constituents and the wider North East region.
The MP, a leading supporter of the People’s Vote campaign, has also made further calls to “put Brexit back to the people” so there can be a “real say” on the cost of leaving the EU.
She said: “The announcement by Nissan is devastating news for my constituents in and people across the North East where thousands of families, local suppliers, shops and small businesses rely on the Nissan plant for their livelihoods.
“The UK car industry is obviously facing a number of challenges, including the phasing out of diesel engines and move to electric vehicles.
“But Nissan came to Sunderland in the 1980s, at a time when the city’s traditional manufacturing like shipbuilding was in decline.
“It was Margaret Thatcher’s government which reassured Nissan that the UK’s future lay inside the EU and single market. But my voters know that Brexit is unpicking that promise.
“Now we know the real costs of leaving the EU, we need a real say.
“Now that we know new facts, we need a new vote. It’s time to put Brexit back to the people.”
MP for Sunderland Central Julie Elliott she said the reasons for ending the production are “understandable” – but that the negative impact on those who work at the plant and their families “cannot be underestimated”.
She continued: “My concern is for securing the jobs of the 250 people who work on this model.
“Moving forward, securing the future of the plant is dependent on getting the right Brexit deal, which is not the deal the Prime Minister has returned to Parliament with.”