Unite, the UK’s biggest union, is urging businesses to buy British-built cars to help maintain success in the manufacturing industry.
Unite believes that a key element of boosting vehicle manufacturing must include a positive procurement policy encouraged by central government to buy vehicles manufactured in the UK. The public sector spends around £220 billion each year on procurement.
Unite national officer, Roger Maddison said: "The Government could boost demand at a stroke by introducing a procurement strategy to support UK motor manufacturing.
“It is outrageous that 72% of police vehicles are built outside the UK. This would never happen in Germany or France. Public bodies in the UK should use their buying power to support UK manufacturing.
"An interventionist Government could do so much to support jobs and skills in manufacturing. It is time for the Government to listen to our demands because Unite understands manufacturing and the measures needed to support it."
Please leave vote and leave a comment on the latest poll on AM: Does being British-built make any difference to a car buyer's purchasing decision in the UK?
Made in Britain
The following companies build cars in Britain, but are not UK owned.
Mini – built in Cowley, Oxford, but owned by BMW in Germany.
Honda build the Civic, CRV and Jazz in Swindon.
Toyota build the Auris and Avensis in Derbyshire.
Nissan build the Qashqai, Juke and Note in Sunderland.
Lotus in Norfolk are Malaysian owned.
Aston Martin in Gaydon, Warwickshire are owned by two Kuwaiti companies – Investment Dar and Adeem Investments.
Bentley Motors in Crewe, owned by Volkswagen.
Rolls Royce, built in Goodwood, owned by BMW.
Jaguar/Land Rover – built in the West Midlands and Liverpool but owned by Tata Motor Company of India.
MG Motors assembled at Longbridge, Birmingham – owned by SAIC of China.
Vauxhall Motors are part of General Motors and build Astras at Ellesmere Port and the Vivaro van in Luton
Ford stopped passenger car production in the UK in 2002 but continues to manufacture Transit in Southampton, as well as engines in Bridgend and Dagenham and transmissions in Halewood.
StephenCaulfield - 21/05/2012 18:06
So the Unite union want's British companies to buy British to help the country. It's people and outfits like Unite that have wrecked the British car industry with their past demands for excessive wages and their stubborn refusal to enter the 21st century. British industry and business has always helped Britain and it's the Unions that have always wanted to help themselves. Don't lecture to us Unite, look at your own past record and be damned well ashamed of the damage you and other unions have inflicted on this country !