Vauxhall workers in Luton have begun two days of protests over the planned closure of the Kimpton Road plant, amid calls for their redundancy consultation to be extended or even stopped altogether.
One month ago, workers had been preparing to begin production of the new electric Vivaro van in 2025, but today approximately 150 took to the factory gates in a demonstration against the closure which would end over a century of automotive manufacturing in the town.
The potential demise of the Vauxhall plant, which has been part of the fabric of Luton since 1905, would see 1,100 workers lose their jobs, though the wider impact is expected to affect 3,700 jobs and leave a £310million black hole in the the local economy, according to the leader of Luton Council Hazel Simmons.
Vauxhall’s parent company, Stellantis, delivered the devastating news last month that production would stop in April 2025 and all their operations would be moved to Ellesmere Port on Merseyside. Today, the Luton factory gates were today awash with protest flags and banners, including one bearing a slogan calling the company “sellouts”.
Meanwhile, Unite, the automotive workers’ union, have backed the direct action and led calls for Stellantis to stop its plans to shut the Luton factory in the wake of the departure of the CEO Carlos Tavares, who headed up the decision.
Luton MPs Rachel Hopkins and Sarah Owen today met with the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, after the minister had promised to do so during an exchange in the House of Commons.
In a post on Instagram, the Luton South MP, Ms Hopkins, wrote: “I was pleased to arrange a meeting between @unitetheunion reps from Luton’s Vauxhall Plant and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds MP and Minister for Industry @sarahjonesmp today, alongside @sarahowenmp. We will continue to work together over the coming weeks.”
At the demonstrations outside the Vauxhall factory, Luton Labour councillors attended, writing in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that they, “stood shoulder to shoulder with Unite members protesting against the proposed closure”.
They also urged Stellantis to extend the closure consultation to allow for the proper consideration of counter proposals to look at alternative options and uses for the factory.
Cllr James Taylor, Luton Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration and inclusive growth, said: “For Stellantis to announce this decision just before Christmas knowing their workers will be away from work spending time with their families is wrong.
“Many of the workers could be at home for up to four weeks during this consultation, so how are their Union representatives meant to effectively communicate with them through this very difficult time?
“Stellantis should extend the consultation beyond the bare statutory minimum and take seriously the counter proposals on offer, in order to do right by their workers who have been working tirelessly for them over the years.”
Luton Liberal Democrats said in a Facebook post: “The protest highlighted a strong sense of solidarity in the effort to safeguard local jobs and preserve this vital part of the community’s heritage.”
Meanwhile, the Green Party of Luton said: “The decision to shut down Vauxhall Luton defies logic. It undermines the UK’s manufacturing base and threatens progress towards a green transition at a time when investment in sustainable industries has never been more critical. We must ask: what future is there for a green transition if flagship projects like this are allowed to fail?”
They added: “Whilst CEO Carlos Tavares has recently resigned, Stellantis the owners of Vauxhall, have still refused to engage in meaningful discussions about alternatives to closure. Instead, they intend to issue redundancy notices from 10th January, leaving hundreds of families in limbo over the festive period and threatening Luton with one of the worst economic blows since the Second World War.
“We urge Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to step in immediately to prevent this unnecessary closure and help secure the UK future green economy. If the owners of Vauxhall refuse to safeguard the future of the site, the Government must explore all options to save these jobs and retain this vital green manufacturing capacity.
“The closure of Vauxhall Luton would not only harm Luton but also undermine the UK’s ability to compete in the growing global green economy. Luton Green Party calls on all stakeholders – local and national – to come together to save this plant, protect its workforce, and prioritise a just transition to a green economy. We stand with the workers of Vauxhall Luton. We will not let them be forgotten.”
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