Business secretary Peter Mandelson is prepared to discuss support for Vauxhall’s new owners Magna on the Canadian firm’s visit to Britain this week.
Vauxhall union leaders fear as many as 1000 jobs will be cut at its Ellesmere Port and Luton factories and wants assurances from Magna that this will not be the case.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Mandelson said: “"I hope [Magna's co-CEO Siegfried Wolf] will have good discussions with union leaders. They're looking for hard information and strong assurance of the future viability of Vauxhall's plants.”
Mandelson said Magna representatives would meet separately with the British government to seek financing for a deal. Britain has already supported Toyota this year in assuring production of the Toyota Auris hybrid would take place at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire.
Mandelson claimed a similar deal could be discussed when he meets with Magna officials later this week.
“We've given support in the past to Vauxhall for development of their green car and I'm prepared to consider that further,” he said.
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