Day 1: BMW manager says UK plants will shut after leaving EU. Day 2: Boss says, no they won’t

BMW last night gave a resounding vote of confidence in Brexit Britain as it signalled its commitment to the UK.

The German car giant rubbished claims that it would be forced to shut plants in Britain if we leave the customs union without a deal.

It insisted the comments, made by its UK customs manager and reported in the Financial Times, had been ‘taken out of context’. Stressing that Britain is the ‘home’ of Rolls-Royce and Mini and BMW’s fourth biggest global market, it said closing any of its factories is not an option.

As the UK car industry lobby group was last night accused of ‘reigniting Project Fear’, BMW struck a more measured tone.

Dr Ian Robertson, BMW’s special representative in the UK, said his company was concerned about extra costs that would be incurred if every lorry bringing components to its factories from the continent has to be checked by customs officials. With a Mini rolling off its production line in Oxford every 67 seconds, Dr Robertson said this would pose a major challenge – but one that it will be able to overcome.

He said leaving the customs union might mean we ‘may have to spend more money we don’t want to’ on warehouses to stockpile parts and in creating new customs systems. But asked whether BMW would consider moving investment out of Britain if the country leaves the customs union and the single market, he said: ‘We are not considering that as an option.

‘We are considering what we would need to have in place to overcome such impediments to border fluidity. That’s where we are focused right now.’ Describing his pride at BMW’s achievements in the UK, Dr Robertson said: ‘I would hate, both personally and professionally, if it was knocked off course because of some changes in the political environment.’

But he added: ‘Knocking off course does not mean a complete U- turn.’ It has invested about £2billion in its four plants in the UK since 2000 and BMW points out Britain is the country in the world where it manufactures all three of its brands – BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce. The firm has also committed to build the new electric Mini at its plant in Cowley, Oxford, underlining its long term investment in the UK.

The assurances come after a string of foreign-owned car makers including Japan’s Nissan and Toyota, and Vauxhall owner PSA Group, announced plans to build new models in the UK. It contrasts with dire warnings from the The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders that manufacturers in Britain could suffer a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ outside the EU.

WITH the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill yesterday winning Royal Assent – an auspicious moment for Brexit – it is a good time to take stock of where the Government is going wrong in its handling of the negotiations.

But before this paper looks at the mistakes, let it not be forgotten how much has gone right. Indeed, the formal passage of the Bill into law represents a triumph for Theresa May, who against formidable odds has seen off every attempt to sabotage it by Brussels-besotted Remoaners in both Houses.

Now a fully-fledged Act of Parliament, the measure means Britain will be leaving the EU at midnight on March 29, 2019, come what may. And from that moment, the European Communities Act of 1972 – which took us in to what was then known as the Common Market (how its ambitions have grown since!) – will no longer have force.

Thus, for the first time in almost half a century, our own Parliament and courts will take precedence over European law. Truly, this is an achievement to be celebrated.

Yet there is no escaping the fact that millions, including this paper, feel badly let down by the sense that too many of those shaping our Brexit strategy simply don’t have their hearts in it.

Take the way passionate Brexiteer David Davis has been sidelined by Remainer civil servants – not least the Prime Minister’s adviser Olly Robbins, who has long been an ardent Europhile. Indeed, an Irish minister has been quoted saying of the Brexit Secretary: ‘We don’t deal with the tea boy. We deal with Robbins.’

More depressing still are the antics of Remainer Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has repeatedly refused to fund preparations for a no-deal Brexit. Thus, he seriously undermines Mrs May’s keynote warning to Brussels: ‘No deal is better than a bad deal.’

Meanwhile, he and Business Secretary Greg Clark are said to have encouraged firms such as Airbus to say they’ll pull out of Britain if no deal is reached. Leave aside that hard-headed EU businessmen – joined yesterday by BMW’s boss – say they have every intention of staying in the UK, while all Europe will suffer if Brussels punishes Britain.

By doing the EU negotiators’ job for them, aren’t Mr Hammond and Mr Clark guilty of rank disloyalty?

But there may be hope on the horizon. For the truth is that the balance in a hitherto Remainer-dominated Cabinet is shifting subtly towards Leavers, who can now claim support from such figures as the Home and Health Secretaries. Isn’t now the time for a change of gear? With the law now in place, and no turning back, Mrs May should surely install true believers in all the key ministries – yes, including the Treasury. Let’s put some passion into Brexit – and show Brussels we mean business.