Europe

UK automotive industry puts the record straight on ‘no deal’ Brexit impact, as Parliament debates the meaningful vote.

Many commentators and politicians cite the automotive industry in Brexit discussions so, as Parliament debates the meaningful vote, the SMMT has published a clear rebuttal of some of the many arguments that have been used about the sector in recent years.

The clock is ticking down to 29 March and automotive businesses are in paralysis. The industry has been consistent and united – a ‘no deal’ Brexit would have a devastating impact on the sector and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports.

Securing a Brexit deal to protect Britain’s biggest exporter must be next leader’s top priority, urges SMMT, as first-ever UK auto trade report highlights importance of £101bn trading powerhouse.1
New calculations reveal potential £50,000-a-minute cost of hard Brexit border delays to UK automotive manufacturers.
Loss of Automotive would force UK out of Top 10 global exporter rankings behind Belgium, Mexico, Canada and Russia.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive While we’ve avoided a ‘no deal’ Brexit on Friday, it is utterly unacceptable that, more than two years since negotiations started, industry still does not know what the UK’s relationship with the EU will be…

UK world’s number one location for mass-market potential of connected and autonomous vehicles, with £62bn annual economic opportunity by 2030, finds new report. Massive safety benefits as driver assistance and self-driving tech could prevent 47,000 serious accidents and save 3,900 lives over next decade. Lifestyle boost for commuters as greater productivity and faster journeys give drivers back full working week every year.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive Another defeat means more uncertainty, more disruption, and the very real risk that the UK has become uninvestable. Whether this is revocable depends on the ability of parliament to urgently find a compromise, that will…

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive: Parliament’s clear rejection of no-deal is welcome, but the law still requires the UK to leave the EU in 15 days, with or without a deal. To avoid irreparable damage to the UK automotive industry,…

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive: Today’s announcement does not resolve the devastating effect a ‘no deal’ Brexit would have on the automotive industry. No policy on tariffs can come close to compensating for the disruption, cost and job losses that…

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive said: Today’s vote leaves us perilously close to the ‘cliff edge’. No-deal would be catastrophic for the automotive industry.  It would end frictionless trade, add billions to the cost of manufacturing and cost jobs. UK…

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive: Today’s announcement is a huge blow to UK automotive manufacturing, and for the Honda plant’s highly skilled and productive workforce. Whilst production will continue in Swindon until 2021, giving government and industry time to help…

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive: The vote against the Brexit deal on the table brings us closer to the ‘no deal’ cliff edge that would be catastrophic for the automotive industry. All sides in parliament must work together to find…