FORD ‘PLANS MOVE ABROAD IF NO DEAL’

CAR giant Ford is preparing to find alternative production sites outside the UK in the result of a no-deal Brexit, it has emerged.

The company currently employs over 1,500 people at its engine plant in Bridgend.

According to The Times, Ford told Prime Minister Theresa May during a telephone call with business leaders that it was preparing alternative sites abroad.

The car industry has been warning about the impact of a no-deal Brexit, with some already cutting back on jobs and production plans. A participant in the call told The Times that other companies delivered the same warning as Ford.

They said: “The general message was that this isn’t about contingencies any more. We are taking steps already because of the uncertainty. It’s real.”

The Bridgend plant is already facing huge uncertainty as the life of the engines it currently makes draws to an end with fewer staff needed for the Dragon engine expected to come into production afterward.

Sources at the plant said the plans were for a total of 1,150 job losses in the UK, with almost 1,000 at Bridgend, but it seems all jobs could be affected in the result of a no-deal Brexit.

In a statement, Ford said that a nodeal, hard Brexit would be “catastrophic for the UK auto industry”.

A Ford spokesman said: “We have long urged the UK Government and Parliament to work together to avoid the country leaving the EU on a no-deal, hard-Brexit basis on March 29.

“Such a situation would be catastrophic for the UK auto industry and Ford’s manufacturing operations in the country.

“We will take whatever action is necessary to preserve the competitiveness of our European business.”

The car industry has warned about the impact of a no-deal Brexit.

Nissan said last week it would no longer build its X-Trail car in Sunderland and Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to cut 4,500 jobs in the UK.

Unite national officer Des Quinn said: “This latest warning from Ford underlines the catastrophic consequences of a no-deal Brexit on the UK’s world leading car industry, its integrated supply chain and wider manufacturing communities.

“Ministers and MPs must stop gambling with the futures of UK workers and their families. They now must do what is best for the country by taking a no deal, hard Brexit off the table and securing the tariff-free, frictionless trade with Europe through a permanent customs union on which our manufacturing success depends.”