Honda confirms closure of Swindon plant in 2021

Honda has confirmed it will close its Swindon car plant in 2021.

The Japanese carmaker said Tuesday that it will shut down a major manufacturing plant in the English town of Swindon that employs 3,500 people. Thousands more jobs will be put at risk at suppliers and other businesses.

The Japanese company builds 160,000 Honda Civics a year in Swindon, its only car factory in the EU.

Honda said the move was due to global changes in the car industry and the need to launch electric vehicles, and it had nothing to do with Brexit.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said the decision was "devastating" for Swindon and the UK.

A fall in demand for diesel cars and tougher emissions regulations have shaken up the car industry.

The company sells many more vehicles in North America, Japan and China than it does in Europe.

Honda said it would begin consulting immediately about the proposed closure with potentially affected employees.

Honda also announced it would stop making the Civic at its plant in Turkey in 2021. Its European HQ will continue to be located in the UK after the changes.

Earlier this month, Nissan switched plans to build its X-Trail SUV from the UK to Japan.

At that time the firm's Europe chairman, Gianluca de Ficchy, said that "the continued uncertainty around the UK's future relationship with the EU is not helping companies like ours to plan for the future".