Government support for car industry

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has hinted that the Government will help Jaguar Land Rover and Vauxhall through the economic crisis.

While visiting Liverpool, Brown was asked about Jaguar Land Rover and Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant. He said: 'We are talking to the motor industry about what we can do to help.

'Jaguar Land Rover has owners and we are prepared to talk to them about how the downturn can be dealt with, but in the first instance, the company is going to have to make its own decisions. The issue is to get the economy moving again.'

Meanwhile, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said the Government will 'do whatever it can to support Jaguar Land Rover.'

Support for Nissan workers
The Government has also pledged to help workers at Nissans Sunderland factory who will lose their jobs due to cutbacks caused by the economic turmoil.

Nissan has announced it will axe 1200 jobs, about a quarter of the workforce at the plant.

Responding to the announcement, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: 'I appreciate that this will be a tough time for workers. We will help any employee find alternative opportunities as quickly as possible.

'We also need to look to the future and our commitment to the development of low-carbon vehicles as an integral part of the UK automotive industry.

'As part of that aim, I want to visit the plant as soon as possible to start work with Nissan on plans to bring manufacturing of Nissans new family of electric vehicles to Sunderland.'