Car maker rejects warnings of global motor manufacturers

Entrepreneur Lawrence Tomlinson, whose group of companies includes performance car maker Ginetta, claimed major motor manufacturers were putting their own interests ahead of British interests.

BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and Vauxhall today lined up to back Britain’s continued membership of the EU while Ford wrote to its 14,000 UK employees setting out its “deep concerns” at the prospect of Brexit.

Mr Tomlinson said: “We had all this when Nissan said that if we didn’t join the euro and the ERM then they would quit the UK and clearly they didn’t.

“For me, a lot of the businesses are global businesses that are saying it, for example Mini or BMW, they tend to be European firms. For me, I’m British, I’m proud to be British and I think being out of the EU is better for Britain.

“I think those large corporations are thinking what’s best for them, I’m thinking what’s best for Britain.”

Mr Tomlinson argued European rules on the financial help governments can give to companies, known as state aid, is holding the UK back and pointed to the US government’s help to develop electric car technology.

US firm Tesla was loaned half a billion pounds by the government in 2010 and it was so successful the money was repaid in 2013, nine years ahead of schedule.

Mr Tomlinson claimed the same kind of support would be barred under EU state aid rules.

“Had we have done that, the Teslas could all have been made here, Tesla is now valued with the same market capitalisation as General Motors. We have missed out on that purely because of EU state aid laws.

“We should be able to help our steel industry. We shouldn’t go cap in hand to the EU to say there’s a temporary problem with steel prices, Tata are going to close down all the steel plants we should be able to make our own decisions.

“I’m not saying we should nationalise things I’m just saying that in times of crisis mission critical businesses should be looked after, there should be a very quick decision and it should be made by people who are elected by us not by faceless bureaucrats who we don’t know who they are.”

Speaking at Ginetta’s headquarters in Garforth, near Leeds, Mr Tomlinson mocked Ford’s apparent attempt to persuade its employees to vote Remain.

He said: “I think my employees will vote exactly how they want to vote. They know how I’m voting, I wouldn’t dream of writing to my employees.

“Do you know what? If my boss told me who to vote for I think I’d probably vote the other way.”

The Prime Minister and former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman visited BMW’s Mini manufacturing plant in Oxfordshire today to highlight the support of major car firms for remaining in the European Union.

Ian Robertson, a member of the BMW board, said: “We firmly believe Britain would be better off if it remained an active and influential member of the EU, shaping European regulations which will continue to impact the UK whatever the decision on Thursday.”

Jaguar Land Rover’s chief financial officer, Ken Gregor, said a vote to Remain would increase the firm’s chances to “grow, create jobs and attract investment in future technologies”.

Toyota deputy managing director Tony Walker said EU membership is “best for our business and for our competitiveness”.