Ford to axe 1,300 UK jobs as firm to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe in next three years

Ford has announced it will be scrapping 3,800 jobs across Europe, including 1,300 in the UK, over the next three years amid plans to reinvent the brand and focus on a smaller range of electric vehicles.

The global carmaker said 2,800 engineering roles will be axed by 2025, and around 1,000 jobs in its administrative, marketing, sales and distribution teams across Europe are set to go.

Most of the 1,300 UK jobs to be cut are expected to be from the company's Dunton facility in Basildon, while some jobs will also go from the Ford software development centre at Here East in London’s Olympic Park, ITV News London Political Correspondent Simon Harris reports.

Ford said the shake-up will pave the way for a profitable future and to compete with rival car brands in Europe, which has faced significant economic and political challenges.

The job losses will create a “leaner, more competitive cost structure” for the business and help with the transition toward a smaller, more focused and increasingly electric product portfolio, the company said.

Martin Sander, the general manager of Ford Model e in Europe, said: “These are difficult decisions, not taken lightly. We recognise the uncertainty it creates for our team, and I assure them we will be offering them our full support in the months ahead.

“We will engage in consultations with our social partners so we can move forward together on building a thriving future for our business in Europe.”

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