Ford's European boss Stephen Odell has warned the company would have to reassess its long-term plans in the UK if the country were to leave the European Union.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Odell said: "I don't want to threaten the British government. [But] I would strongly advise against leaving the EU for business purposes and for employment purposes in the UK."
Pointing out the potential consequences of such an action, Odell said: "You'd have to look at everything… clearly we wouldn't be alone in doing that. Would it mean tariffs? Would it mean duties? We'd take a look at what it meant."
Ford has subsequently released a statement explaining those comments, saying they were in response to a hypothetical question and were "not a statement of intent by Ford Motor Company".
The government is currently in talks over whether the UK should remain in the European Union. One of the chief concerns raised by Chancellor George Osborne has been the need for the EU to do more to protect the interests of non-eurozone states, while also increasing competitiveness with China and India.
If the UK were to leave the EU without joining the European Free Trade Association, exporting items could be made difficult for businesses based in this country.
In November last year Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said his company would have to reconsider its investments in the UK if it left the European Union.
Speaking with BBC News, Ghosn said: "Everything has been done in the UK today considering that the UK is part of Europe. Obviously if a decision has to be made contrary to this then we will need to reconsider our strategy."
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BigMitch
BigMac...spoken like a true right wing, xenophobic, faschist, stuck-in-the past, little-Englander, tw.. , no, I wont stoop to your level.
I dont read any papers, never have and never will.
Yes, the EU isnt very democratic, the solution ? Make it democratic, simple.
The UK wasnt democratic once, what did we do, stop having a government ? Stop having a UK ?
Nope, we made it democratic, its not hard is it ? I said the EU needs reforming and the way to do it is from the inside, not leave.
How does it go ? Oh yeah:
"Get real you tool. sick of doom mongering pieces of shit like you".
You put it so elegantly, eloquantly and succinctly, I couldnt do any better, so I thought I d use your words :-)
Typos
The fact is, people like you have lost the argument and if there was a referendum tomorrow, the UK would vote overwhelmingly to pull out of Europe and you know it. It's just awful people having their vote and their say and disagreeing with you isn't it? And no amount of pathetic and unwarranted labels like xenophobia is going to change that. The EU is the one that's stuck in the past, but selfish little dictators like you can't admit it.
Youve lost the arguement
Nearly as bad as dailymail
In the end it seems a large portion of the population will have nobody to blame but themselves if the UK economy goes tits up from ill informed views and decisions .. Learn some facts ..
Michael twat knight
You can't compare the UK to
The UK shares most trade with Europe and its current economy is based around integration within the EU .. Wether you like it or not foreign investment in the UK will be effected and deteriorate if the UK leaves the EU ... For example companies like Toyota and Nissan export over 60% of their products built in the UK to to the rest of the EU and profitability for these companies will be effected if the UK ever left the EU... This includes many other companies with thousands of jobs on the line ..
Get over you nationalistic idiotic views