Sunderland Nissan plant's pledge to 'secure future' welcomed

Nissan's car plant in Sunderland is the UK's biggest and employs 6,000 people directly

Business leaders, unions and the council have welcomed news that the future of Sunderland's Nissan plant is secure.

The Japanese car maker said the trade deal reached between the UK and the EU was "advantageous" to the company.

It means 6,000 jobs at the plant and 70,000 in the supply chain around the North East are safeguarded.

The leader of Sunderland City Council described it as "excellent news [and] a vote of confidence for Wearside".

The North East Chamber of Commerce said it was a "sigh of relief".

The plant supports about 70,000 jobs in the wider supply chain

Sharon Hodgson, the Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West, said; "I welcome the news of Nissan's confidence."

She added: "However, the complex arrangements for automotive rules of origin within the trade deal mean that the goalposts will gradually move as we transition to zero-emissions vehicles.

"We need the government to show now that is has a plan for the sector beyond the next couple of years."

The news came as Nissan paused one of its two production lines on Friday as disruption at ports caused by the pandemic affected its supply chain.

Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said the firm's commitment to the area "helps cement the city's well-established track record in future technologies, which is vital to the city's economy as well as to the wider economy of the region and UK".

"This announcement not only reinforces Sunderland's reputation in electric vehicle production but also as the UK centre for battery manufacturing," he said.

Nissan's Ashwani Gupta said the Brexit deal had created a 'competitive environment'

James Ramsbotham. chair of the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: "It absolutely secures the immediate future which is great news and we absolutely celebrate that.

"But I think we have to be really aware that there is a huge amount of work to do to secure the longer-term future."

Steve Bush, the Unite union's national officer for the automotive sector, said the backing for the plant was welcome "and no less than this incredible, dedicated workforce deserves".

"Through continued economic and public health uncertainty they have battled to maintain this plant as one of the most productive in the autos sector and to put it in the best place to transition to the next generation of vehicles," he said.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "Nissan's decision represents a genuine belief in Britain and a huge vote of confidence in our economy thanks to the vital certainty that our trade deal with the EU has given the auto sector.

"For the dedicated and highly-skilled workforce in Sunderland, it means the city will be home to Nissan's latest models for years to come."