Luton’s Members of Parliament have blasted the decision to close the Vauxhall plant and owner Stellantis’ refusal to engage with plans to save the 120-year-old automotive factory, with one saying she is “devastated”.
It was confirmed yesterday that the site on Kimpton Road will be closed from April, though a date has not been finalised, putting 1,100 jobs at risk.
Luton Council has said numerous options that were put forward to keep the plant open were rejected and now the town’s two MPs have called the decision to close “callous” and a “destructive blow” for Luton.
Rachel Hopkins, the MP for Luton south, where Vauxhall’s has operated since 1905, said: “I’m devastated by Stellantis’ decision to proceed with the closure of our Luton Vauxhall plant, which is a destructive blow to our town, our workforce and our proud 120-year manufacturing heritage.
“The company’s ongoing refusal to meaningfully engage with Government, despite offers to support, has also been extremely disappointing.
“As we move forward, I will continue to support the workforce and their families, working closely with Unite the union representatives and Luton Council to secure the best possible support package for all those affected.”
Luton South MP, Sarah Owen said: “This is the news that no one wanted but sadly everyone was braced for since Stellantis announced it was ‘consulting’ on closure.
“We all worked in good faith to make Stellantis see sense. The government, the unions and the workers gave Stellantis every option to change their mind. “Their decision to dump our town, which has given Vauxhall many many profitable decades and build thousands of vehicles, is short sighted and callous.
“I’ll work with families and workers in Luton north affected by this closure and ensure that the case for skilled, well paid jobs is heard at the highest levels.”
The profitable plant had been preparing to begin production of the new electric Vivaro van this year and workers had met every manufacturing cost target set for them.
Still, Stellantis, the Italian-American multinational that owns Vauxhall, last year revealed its plans to move production to its Ellesmere Port plant on Merseyside as part of a £50 million investment.
At the time, it was revealed by the leader of Luton Council Hazel Simmons that the wider impact of closure was expected to affect 3,700 jobs and leave a £310million black hole in the the local economy.
Then, in December, after announcing a consultation to close, Stellantis’ CEO Carlos Tavares resigned and that led to calls from local politicians and Unite, the union for automotive workers, for Stellantis to halt the planned closure of Vauxhall.
But those pleas were not heeded, nor were public demonstrations by workers, and last night the council said it “is extremely disappointed and angry at Stellantis’ decision to close Luton’s Vauxhall plant after numerous options put forward to keep the plant open were rejected.”
Cllr Hazel Simmons MBE, Leader of Luton Council said: “This is heartbreaking news and a devastating blow to Luton and the livelihood of the workers. Vauxhall has been an integral part of Luton’s heritage for decades. We did what we could to try and stop this closure going ahead and I feel angry that this decision will massively impact the lives of so many people.
“This is news the workers and their families would have been dreading to hear and we want them to know we are behind them and will support them all we can.
“It’s not just them who are affected. This will impact the whole town. With job losses at the plant as well as the wider supply chain, it will have a huge impact on the local economy, but we will recover from this”.
The council is currently in discussions with Stellantis to explore possibilities to buy the site so it can ensure its future development will be of economic benefit to the town.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “This news will be deeply concerning for the employees at Luton who will be affected and their families.
“We have a longstanding partnership with Stellantis and have engaged with them extensively throughout this process, including discussions over the past week and today. We will continue to work closely with them, the trade unions and Luton council to put in place measures to support the local community.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Stellantis’ betrayal of its Luton workforce, who have delivered every target asked of them, is a total disgrace.
“Once again, UK workers have been exposed to a company willing to sacrifice our manufacturing base for fleeting gains – this has to change.
“We urgently need an industrial strategy that puts the national interest at the heart of decision making in manufacturing, as they do in other countries.”
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