The UK designs, engineers, manufactures and assembles cars, which doesn't fit your narrative of the tail end but is nonetheless true. There are a whole bunch of reasons why a large proportion of automotive remains in developed, expensive economies like the UK or Japan.I’ve ‘done it before’ because it’s important that people understand that the collapse of the sector isn’t a recent development that has occurred as a result of people voted to leave a failing trading bloc. It’s a slow motion decline with periodic sharper cyclical structural downturns in late capitalist economies.
I’m glad you’ve flagged the wider sector because this is where the major impact of capital flight will bite. We don’t ‘make cars’ we asssmble them. It’s where the parts are made that is critical in terms of wider employment in the sector and in assembly. This is why the FTA between Japan and Europe is so damaging for reasons which should be blindingly obvious to those desperate to blame Brexit but seemingly aren’t.
Honda has confirmed plans to shut its factory in Swindon in 2021 with the loss of 3,500 jobs.
The decision is not Brexit related, the BBC’s Today Programme has been told by Ian Howells of Honda.
“We are in a position where out investment and focus needs to go somewhere else, it can’ be in the UK,” he said, blaming the move on the ‘global outlook’.
In a statement, the Japanese firm told workers it proposed to close the vehicle manufacturing plant at the end of the current model’s production lifecycle.
The plant currently produces 150,000 cars a year.
The statement said: “This proposal comes as Honda accelerates its commitment to electrified cars, in response to the unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry.
“The significant challenges of electrification will see Honda revise its global manufacturing operations, and focus activity in regions where it expects to have high production volumes.”
Labour warned over bigger split as cabinet briefed on latest talks with Brussels - Politics live
The UK designs, engineers, manufactures and assembles cars, which doesn't fit your narrative of the tail end but is nonetheless true. There are a whole bunch of reasons why a large proportion of automotive remains in developed, expensive economies like the UK or Japan.
Out of interest, have you actually seen this somewhere other than from the Tories?They are also closing their factory in Turkey, which clearly has nothing to do with Brexit.
They are also closing their factory in Turkey, which clearly has nothing to do with Brexit.
Out of interest, have you actually seen this somewhere other than from the Tories?
Everything I've seen quotes the Tory MP for Swindon, who has not exactly been truthful about this in the past.It's been on the TV news, reporting on Honda's statement.
Everything I've seen quotes the Tory MP for Swindon, who has not exactly been truthful about this in the past.
Maybe, but when when you're finding solace in the knowledge that de-industrialisation of the UK is just because of other folks' economic nationalism and cynical corporate wrecking it don't reflect well on the sunlit uplands.They are also closing their factory in Turkey, which clearly has nothing to do with Brexit.
Fortunately we don't need to wait: Honda announces global automobile manufacturing restructureLet’s see what the official announcement says. But the Japanese factory closure is confirmed.
So he lied, again.The global restructure will also involve Honda’s automobile operations in Turkey. Honda Turkiye A.S. currently produces 38,000 units per year. The company will cease manufacturing current Civic sedan model in 2021 and intends to continue its business operations. Honda Turkiye A.S. will continue to hold constructive dialogue with Turkish stakeholders during this period.
Everything I've seen quotes the Tory MP for Swindon, who has not exactly been truthful about this in the past.
The company also said it would close its factory in Turkey, where it employs 1,100 people and produces about 50,000 cars a year, of which 20 per cent are exported to Europe.
Fortunately we don't need to wait: Honda announces global automobile manufacturing restructure
So he lied, again.
"continue its business operations" doesn't imply to me they are continuing manufacturing, although it's not 100% clear, TBH.
I think they are closing half of the factory as the civic is also assembled there
The company will also stop making its Civic car model at its Turkey plant from 2021 but plans to continue its operations in the country, Honda chief executive Takahiro Hachigo told a news conference in Tokyo.
Honda confirms closure of UK plan in 2021 - Independent.ie
Yep, but seeing folk line up with tory dissemblers clinging onto the corporate 'logic' of neoliberalism for fear that their 'project' be blamed reminds me why I spoilt my referendum ballot paper.Looking at car manufacturing as a whole in these times of ‘Green’
industrial practices and minimising overproduction. How many millions of slightly used cars are stood on British car sale forecourts?
Yep, but seeing folk line up with tory dissemblers clinging onto the corporate 'logic' of neoliberalism for fear that their 'project' be blamed reminds me why I spoilt my referendum ballot paper.
I think they are closing half of the factory as the civic is also assembled there
Honda will also close its Turkish plant, which builds the Civic sedan and produces about 38,000 vehicles a year, but intends to continue sales and marketing operations in the country, Honda said.
Honda will close U.K., Turkey plants in restructuring move
The restructuring will also involve Honda's business in Turkey, which currently produces 38,000 Civic sedans per year. That will cease in 2021.
Honda said that production would shift to Japan, North America and China.
Honda is closing its only UK factory in Swindon, putting 3,500 jobs at risk - CNN
The EU/JP FTA (which the UK govt voted for) enables movement, it doesn’t cause it. Honda manufacturing doesn't magically all come home to Japan if all costs are made equal.
I want to be clear exactly what you are arguing for here. Are you arguing in favour of (more) free trade agreements?For example NAFTA spread US vehicle production slightly across the continent but it certainly didn't kill it. In a couple of years it looks like Britain will be done making cars again.
I'm not arguing *for* anything, why would I be?I want to be clear exactly what you are arguing for here. Are you arguing in favour of (more) free trade agreements?
Well that's what I want to understand. Whether you see free trade agreements as good, bad or neutral.I'm not arguing *for* anything, why would I be?
None of the above - depends whose interests you have in mind, and what the alternative is. Trumpian halfwitted tariffs & the resultant trade wars aren't exactly helping US auto workers, but neither is the direct transfer of production to Canada or Mexico under NAFTA.Well that's what I want to understand. Whether you see free trade agreements as good, bad or neutral.