This morning on the Today programme and accompanying news bulletins the BBC suggsted that if the UK voted to leave the EU the Nissan jobs could be at risk. Yet listening to the clip of the interview, Nissan made very clear that they have a great factory in Sunderland and have no intention of closing that, whether the UK stays in or leaves the EU. Their comments were about future additional investment, not a threat to what they have.
Of course when planning any future UK investment the UK’s relationship with wider European markets will be a relevant consideration. If the Uk leaves the EU I expect we will have decent arrangements to continue buying and selling cars to each other . The German industry will inists on this. So I expect Nissan would continue to find the UK a great place for new factories, just as it clearly likes its present investment.
Indeed, if we negotiate a new relationship that allows us to cut some of the regulatory and other costs of the EU rules, companies might like the Uk more, not less. Companies will also understand that they want to sell to the important UK market, where consumers are also voters and where those voters want a referendum on the EU.
The BBC should questioning peoples’ jobs, and just report what is actually said, which was carefully nuanced and about future investment.