London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Honda closure taskforce 'has not met since June'

Honda closure taskforce 'has not met since June'

Honda said "no viable alternative" to the Swindon plant closure had been found during consultation.

A taskforce to coordinate a response to Swindon's Honda plant's closure has not met since June, the BBC has learned.

In February the company said it would close the factory by 2021 with the loss of 3,500 jobs, and earlier this week Honda Logistics said it too would shut.

The group was set up to support workers and those in Honda's supply chain, as well as plan a future for the site.

The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it was doing everything it could to support workers.

It said the "work of local leaders and the taskforce has made it clear that Swindon is a key place to invest".

Labour's parliamentary candidate for South Swindon Sarah Church said: "In less than two years this site will be closed. It will be a really significant hit to our local economy. This should be the highest priority for local politicians.

"I'm aware they are distracted by Brexit, but this is locally huge and the fact they haven't met since June doesn't instil any confidence they have a plan to tackle this problem."


Battery plant

The taskforce brought together political and business leaders but has not met since the then business secretary, Greg Clark, was replaced by Andrea Leadsom in reshuffle following Boris Johnson's election as Conservative leader and prime minister.

Employment-based options for the future use of the site have been considered and Swindon Borough Council has insisted the land should not be used for housing.

Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd, which still owns the site, said: "Discussions around potential investment are confidential, and we would not therefore comment on the content or outcome."

Last month Labour announced at its party conference it would fund a battery production plant on the vast South Marston site.

The borough council has said as the land is owned by Honda, it would be up to the firm who it sold it to.

Honda has not wanted to comment about it openly but said it was talking to local and national government about the options.

South Swindon Conservative MP, Robert Buckland, said there were plenty of options on the table once Honda decided what it wanted to do with its site.

"Whether that's through an Enterprise Zone or securing the site in terms of purchase, we'll find a way to help lever really high quality investment to make sure the jobs of the future attract high wages and high skills," he said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×