Vauxhall’s proposed closure of its Luton plant has been blamed on the government’s plan to force carmakers to build more electric vehicles

Tories: Luton Vauxhall plant closure is ‘downpayment’ for further job losses - Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds blamed the previous government for the 1,100 jobs at risk.

The brutal restructuring at Vauxhall in Britain is part of a global jobs massacre by Stellantis and other transnational car producers. Unite officials will be working with the company every step of the way.

Motor giant Stellantis says it is closing the van making plant in the context of the UK's rules on electric vehicle sales.

Vauxhall is planning to shut its Luton van-making factory in a move that puts 1,100 jobs at risk, as net zero rules force it to curtail sales of petrol vehicles.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has said that the government’s “number one priority is the people of Luton” after Stellantis revealed plans to close the Vauxhall van factory in the town.

The closure of the van-making factory puts about 1,100 jobs at risk. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

Vauxhall's owner Stellantis said it was planning to shut the site in April 2025, blaming the UK's "stringent" zero-emissions targets. | ITV News Anglia

The proposed closure of Luton with the loss of 1,100 jobs is being seen as a slap in the face for the government, which has so far resisted pleas from the car industry to ease up on the UK’s ZEV mandate, which sets out targets for EV sales as a percentage of every car maker’s annual sales of cars and vans.

Stellantis has announced its intention to close their Luton plant in the United Kingdom. The facility was slated to begin building mid-size electric vans next spring, but the automaker wants to consolidate production at Ellesmere Port.