Vauxhall factory closure is 'ripping the heart out of the town' say ex-workers in Luton
Hannah Kings reports on how the people of Luton are reacting to the news Vauxhall is to pull out of the town
A move by Vauxhall to shut its Luton van-making factory has been compared to "ripping the heart out of the town", as the prime minister described the news as "very serious" for affected families.
Vauxhall owner Stellantis announced on Tuesday it was putting more than 1,100 jobs at risk by bringing to an end its near 120-year association with the town.
Meanwhile, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds defended the government, saying it had done "everything we possibly" could to prevent the closure.
Denise Hennighan, who worked for Vauxhall at both its Dunstable and Luton sites for nearly four years, alongside her father and cousins, told ITV News Anglia the impact would be felt throughout the town.
"I think they’re ripping the heart out of the town," she said.
"I know people that have worked there for years and now they've been told just before Christmas 'that's it'.
"They have been told that they have got the option to go to [Stellantis's other site] Ellesmere Port but why would you want to move when all your family is here?
"It’s always been there... I think it’s wrong. There's not a lot now left in Luton."
Stellantis said the decision was made within the context of the “stringent” UK zero-emission vehicle mandate.
Under the current rules, this requires 22% of all new car sales to be battery-electric vehicles in 2024, with the target rising to 80% by 2030 and 100% in 2035.
During Prime Minister's Questions, the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he stood by his promise to ban the sale of petrol car by 2030.
"The question of jobs in Luton is a very serious one and families and workers will be very worried and we are obviously engaging with them," replied Mr Starmer, pointing out that the target had been introduced by the previous government.
"I would also remind her that she was the business secretary that introduced them," he added.
"It is a difficult and uncertain time for workers in Luton.
"It is important to do whatever we can to support these communities."
Business Secretary Mr Reynolds described the news as a "dark day for Luton" as he announced that the government was "fast-tracking" a consultation on ending the sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
He added: "We will use that consultation to engage with industry on the previous government's ZEV transition mandate... and we will welcome on board their feedback as we move forwards."
Hazel Simmons, leader of Luton Council, said the announcement of the planned closure came as a surprise.
"I wouldn’t want to underestimate the devastation that this will bring to the town not only with the jobs but the effect of the morale of the town," she told ITV News Anglia.
"For the Luton site to close is a big, big issue for us. The town is on the rise, we are generating it and we’ve got the growth going on at the airport, but that’s still a lot of jobs to replace so we will do our utmost to keep that plant in Luton."
The 'beating heart' of Luton
The car plant has been at the heart of Luton for more than a century - though its history has followed a rocky road.
The Vauxhall factory first opened in the town in 1905, after originally operating in south London two years earlier.
In 1925, Vauxhall was bought by General Motors for $2.5m. Soon after, the Luton factory expanded to produce buses and trucks.
During the Second World War, the factory became a major supplier of tanks and Bedford lorries. Women joined the workforce, many transferring from the town's hat industry. In 1940, 39 people died when a German bomb hit the camouflaged factory .
Post-war efforts saw cars built for export and in its heyday, 36,000 people worked at its Kimpton Road site.
In the 1950s, bus and truck production moved to Dunstable although the van remained at Luton.
In 2002, the last Vectra rolled off the line as Vauxhall car-making ended at the plant, with around 2,000 people losing their jobs.
In 2017, Peugeot's owners, the PSA Group, bought Vauxhall from its parent company General Motors in a £1.9bn deal - the government pushes for assurances over jobs.
In January 2021, the French PSA Group merged with Fiat Chrysler to become a new company called Stellantis.
In November 2024, Stellantis announces the Vauxhall factory in Luton is closing in 2025, putting 1,100 jobs at risk.
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