Japanese carmaker Honda is set to announce the closure of its Swindon car plant putting 3,500 jobs at risk, Sky News reported on Monday.
Sky News said that the announcement by Honda could come on Tuesday, and that the plant was scheduled to close in 2022.
The plant is responsible for the output of around 160,000 Honda Civics a year, more than 90 per cent of which were exported to Europe and the US.
Swindon North MP Justin Tomlinson said Honda’s decision to consolidate European market production in Japan was not as a result of Brexit.
He tweeted: ‘Honda: @RobertBuckland & I have already spoken to the Business Secretary & Honda. They are clear this is based on global trends and not Brexit as all European market production will consolidate in Japan in 2021.
‘Working with Honda, Gov (led by the Business Secretary), staff and Unions there will be a taskforce set up to provide support for all staff (as we did when jobs were lost previously at Honda).
‘Honda will be consulting with all staff and there is not expected to be any job losses, or changes in production until 2021.’
A spokesman for Honda was not immediately available to comment on the report.
Last month Honda announced plans for a six-day shutdown to prepare for any Brexit-related disruption.
A company statement at the time said: ‘Honda has been assessing how best to prepare for any disruption caused by logistics and border issues following the UK leaving the EU on March 29.
‘To ensure Honda is well placed to adjust to all possible outcomes, we are planning six non-production days in April.
‘This is to facilitate production recovery activity following any delays at borders on parts.
‘These contingency provisions have been put in place to best mitigate the risk of disruption to production operations at the Swindon factory.’
‘That’s speculation so we wouldn’t comment on that,’ a spokeswoman for Britain’s business ministry said.
Swindon councillor Emma Faramazi said: ‘I’m very disappointed, but we don’t have a full picture yet.’
