Honda Set To Announce Swindon Plant Closure Putting 3,500 Jobs At Risk – Reports

Japanese car giant Honda is to announce the end of manufacturing at its Swindon plant, putting 3,500 jobs at risk, reports said.

Honda bosses were expected to make an announcement on Tuesday regarding plans to close down the Wiltshire factory in 2022, Sky News reported.

The BBC added that unnamed sources said the company would retain a European headquarters in Berkshire.

North Swindon MP and government minister, Justin Tomlinson, confirmed the news, writing that Honda had told him the closure “is based on global trends and not Brexit as all European market production will consolidate in Japan in 2021.”

Tomlinson, who backed Brexit, added: “Honda will be consulting with all staff and there is not expected to be any job losses, or changes in production until 2021.”

A Honda UK spokesperson told HuffPost: “Honda will not be providing any further comment at this stage.”

The Swindon factory is the company’s only manufacturing base within the European Union.