During an exchange in today’s Topical Questions, Welsh Conservatives countered claims by Labour Party Members that Brexit had contributed to Ineos Automotive suspending plans to produce its Grenadier 4x4 vehicle in Bridgend
Ineos Automotive yesterday announced its decision to consider assembly of the Grenadier at an existing car plant in France, citing the extreme downturn in demand for new cars and consequently their construction. Ineos also said that plans to assemble the vehicle at a sister plant in Portugal were suspended.
Labour Party Members, ignoring the well-acknowledged downturn in the automotive sector, stated that Brexit was the reason for the firm’s decision before Welsh Conservative Members Suzy Davies and Andrew RT Davies both pointed out that Portugal remains within the EU.
Commenting, Russell George MS – the Shadow Minister for Business, Economy, and Infrastructure – said:
“Look, I’m disappointed – as are many people – at the announcement by Ineos, but the responses from Labour Party Members demonstrated a worrying lack of understanding of the automotive sector, and the incredible pressures it is under, or a cynical exploitation of them.
“Ineos is considering shifting production to an existing plant that would require repurposing and retooling to assemble the Grenadier, or continuing to build two plants to put the vehicle together. It is economics, not Brexit, that is driving this.
“Even a Labour Party former First Minister demonstrated limited understanding of the auto sector by describing the proposed Grenadier as a ‘British’ car. Very few ‘British’ cars exist; even the new Morgan sports cars have BMW engines.
“The Welsh Labour-led Government should focus on doing all it can to re-open Wales and the economy as we begin to leave lockdown and the devastating effects of the pandemic and lockdown, not try to fight old battles over Brexit.”
Image courtesy and copyright INEOS Automotive.