NISSAN'S LOOMING PROBLEM

For the man who thinks Nissan will never, ever leave Sunderland (HERE) there is an interesting article on the BBC website (HERE) about a decision to be taken later in 2017 or 2018 about the site where the new Qashqi is to be built.  Nissan apparently ask their plants to "bid" for new models and Sunderland will need to do so for the next model to be ready for production in 2020.

However, the UK will almost certainly not have clarified its relationship with the EU by then and therefore no one will know what tariffs might be imposed.  The article suggests Sunderland may have to assume tariffs wlll be imposed and this will make their bid uncompetitive against other Renault/Nissan plants in France and Spain.  If this happens Sunderland's future will look very bleak.

Mrs Thatcher personally persuaded Nissan to build the plant in the UK to export cars to Europe by pushing the single market access.  Sunderland repaid her by voting Labour in ever increasing numbers and now by voting to leave the EU. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.