Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, has responded to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s emergency measures on Covid-19.
Mike said: “We welcome the additional and significant emergency support for business announced by the Chancellor. The UK automotive industry is inherently strong and globally competitive but now stands on the precipice and will urgently need extraordinary measures such as these to avoid falling over the edge. We are already seeing plant closures as global demand falls and supply chains are stretched. We now seek immediate dialogue with government to agree how such a comprehensive package of measures can ensure business continuity and support for workers. The continued success of this industry is critical not just to the country’s economic performance but also to the hundreds of thousands of people across the country who rely on the sector for their livelihoods.”
