Len McCluskey, the head of the UK’s biggest trade union has urged Theresa May to guarantee car makers tariff-free access to the single market after Brexit, as Ford unveiled plans to cut 1,160 jobs over five years at its engine factory in Bridgend, Wales.

McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, also demanded that Ford provide “legally binding guarantees” of future production at the plant, saying that workers had been “kept in the dark”.

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The US car firm, which has warned it could slash costs due to Brexit, said it was cutting jobs because it expected demand for the petrol engines made at Bridgend to fall after 2018.

Ford’s forecast of waning demand for the petrol engines it makes at Bridgend are understood to be linked to the rise of electric vehicles. The engines are also mostly used in larger cars, which the company believes are becoming less popular as customers opt for smaller, more fuel-efficient models.

Ford said it could “fully understand” workers’ concerns about the future of the Bridgend plant.

But McCluskey said the union would “use all its might” to protect jobs, blaming Ford’s decision on uncertainty surrounding the terms of Brexit.

“We will not allow Ford to walk away from its responsibilities,” he said. “Ford must give this plant a chance and work with Unite to secure a better future. We will be seeking legally binding guarantees to secure future production at the plant as well as exploring how Bridgend’s production capacity can be fully utilised through the introduction of new lines.

“Brexit is clearly a factor here. So I appeal again to the Westminster government and Theresa May to make it categorically clear without delay that there will be tariff-free access to the single market and customs union, because the uncertainty the UK’s automotive sector is enduring is having damaging real-life consequences now, before talks have even begun. The prime minister must act now because the very future of UK manufacturing, including car-making, is at stake.”

GMB union organiser Jeff Beck said the cuts, first revealed in a leaked document, meant “the nightmare for our members at Bridgend has unfortunately come true”. He said: “This is a real kick in the teeth for our hard-working members at the Ford plant – as well as their families and the community as a whole.”

Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, May said the government had been in talks with Ford. “Ford is an important investor here. It has been established here for over 100 years,” the prime minister told MPs. “We now account for around a third of Ford’s global engine production, and Bridgend continues to be an important part of that.

“We have had, as I said, dialogue with Ford. We will continue to have a regular dialogue with Ford about the ways in which government can help to make sure that this success continues.”

Sources familiar with the firm’s plans said the decision was not affected by Brexit, despite the fact that Ford has previously warned that the EU referendum decision could cost the company $1bn (£810m) and force it to cut costs.



In an emailed statement, Ford said: “We announced in September last year that Ford would invest an initial £100m of an approved investment to build a family of all-new, technologically advanced petrol engines at Bridgend from late 2018. In line with this announcement, we have shared the five-year outlook with our union partners, based on what we know today.

“This shows healthy volumes to occupy the current workforce over the next 2-3 years. Beyond that, identified workload is reduced and whilst such a forecast is not unusual, given the cyclical nature of our business, it is a concern, and we fully understand that.”

The company said it would work with GMB and Unite to identify “future business opportunities” for the plant, which would be left with just 600 workers if the cuts go through as planned.

“It goes without saying, that in order to attract new business, the Bridgend operation would need to ensure its competitiveness, and addressing some of the current concerns relating to the plant’s efficiency would be high on the agenda,” Ford said.