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Speaking from Japan, Nissan’s chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta said the UK’s post-Brexit deal with the European Union had given their huge plant in Sunderland a competitive edge over their rivals. He said Brexit has provided Nissan with business continuity, protects 75,000 jobs and “most importantly, all of our models which we manufacture in Sunderland”. Nissan’s Brexit pledge has received universal praise, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailing the car giant’s commitment to continuing to invest in the UK.
He tweeted: “This is a great vote of confidence in the UK and fantastic news for the brilliant Nissan workforce in Sunderland and electric vehicle manufacturing in this country.”
Several Brexiteers also praise the commitment to the UK from Nissan, mocking the Project Fear campaign and Remainers who have tried to paint Brexit in a negative light.
Former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Martin Daubney tweeted: “Remainiacs are obsessed with Nissan leaving the UK – they actually want it to happen.
“So pray for them today as Nissan boss says Brexit is ‘positive’ – and claims new trade deal gives carmaker a ‘competitive advantage’. #ProjectNoFear.”
Brexit news: Boris Johnson has hailed Nissan’s commitment to the UK (Image: GETTY)
Brexit news: Nisan said the UK-EU trade deal had given their huge plant in Sunderland a competitive edge (Image: GETTY)
Ben Habib, also a former MEP, tweeted: “Bang goes one of the Project Fear’s biggest scare stories.”
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng commented: “Nissan’s decision represents a genuine belief in Britain and a huge vote of confidence in our economy.”
“For the highly-skilled workforce in #Sunderland, it means the city will be home to Nissan’s latest models for years to come.”
Sunderland City Council leader Graeme Miller said the commitment from Nissan is a vote of confidence for Wearside.
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Brexit news: Martin Daubney said ‘Remainiacs’ wanted Nissan to leave the UK (Image: @MartinDaubney / Twitter)
He said: “It helps cement the city’s well-established track record in future technologies, which is vital to the city’s economy as well as to the wider economy of the region and UK.
“We know how important electrification is to the automotive and advanced manufacturing sector moving forward and this announcement not only reinforces Sunderland’s reputation in electric vehicle production but also as the UK centre for battery manufacturing.”
Steve Bush, national officer for the automotive sector for the UK’s biggest trade union Unite, said: “Mr Gupta’s backing for the Nissan plant in Sunderland is welcome and no less than this incredible, dedicated workforce deserves.
“Through continued economic and public health uncertainty they have battled to maintain this plant as one of the most productive in the autos sector and to put it in the best place to transition to the next generation of vehicles.
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Brexit news: Boris Johnson hailed the pledge from Nissan as a ‘great vote of confidence in the UK’ (Image: @BorisJohnson / Twitter)
Brexit news: Nissan has commited to continued investment in the UK (Image: GETTY)
“This workforce and their community deserve a future and we will be working with Nissan to deliver this because bumpy times lie ahead.
“That’s why Unite is seeking an urgent meeting with the Government to discuss the part that they must play in the full UK-wide electrification needed to secure this plant and others like it in the UK.
“This country’s leaders have to stop thinking in the short-term and plan now for the changes that are coming at us fast.”
Nissan’s chief operating officer Mr Gupta believes the last minute trade deal between the UK and EU – which was only agreed a week before the end of the transition period on New Year’s Eve – will “redefine” the UK’s auto industry.
He told a news briefing: “Brexit has brought the business continuity in the short term, protects 75,000 jobs across Europe and, most importantly, all of our models which we manufacture in Sunderland.”
Brexit news: The key moments that led to the UK’s departure from the EU (Image: EXPRESS)
The Nissan senior official insisted Nissan will continue to invest in the UK, stressing the Japanese car giant continued in the weeks and months leading up to the UK leaving the EU last month.
He added the post-Brexit trade deal has secured the sustainability of the firm and improved the competitiveness of the huge hub in Sunderland.
Mr Gupta said: “Sunderland is one of the top three plants in the world for competitiveness for Nissan.
“Brexit gives us the competitive advantage in the UK and outside.”
He added that over the past few years, Nissan’s message gad been “consistent” at a time when Brexit had triggered so much uncertainty for millions of businesses.
Mr Gupta said: “As long as the current business conditions are kept, we are sustainable, not only in Sunderland, but across Europe.”
The Nissan senior official also confirmed the car giant will move production of the batteries used in its Leaf electric cars to the UK.
The move would see it take advantage of newly agreed trade rules that guarantee zero tariffs on EU exports if at least 55 percent of the car’s value is derived from the UK or the continental bloc.
The batteries are currently imported from Japan, but Mr Gupta told the BBC: “We’ve decided to localise the manufacture of the 62KW battery in Sunderland so that all our products qualify (for tariff-free export to the EU).”
He said that from 2023, all Nissan cars sold in Europe will have an electrified version.
