Japanese car giant Nissan to deliver Brexit boost with promise to build new SUVs at Sunderland plant
Deal was struck 'after Business Secretary flew to Japan to butter Nissan chiefs up in person'
CAR giant Nissan is poised to announce it will build new SUVs at its Sunderland plant in a post-Brexit boost for Britain.
The Japanese firm said it will decide whether to produce the next Qashqai in the UK in the next month.
But Sun columnist James Forsyth reveals the deal has been done after Business Secretary Greg Clark flew to Japan to sweeten company chiefs.
Claiming Nissan would halt production in the North East was a central plank of Project Fear before the EU referendum.
Brexit-backer Michael Gove welcomed the “fantastic vote of confidence”.
He added: “And as a Nissan driver myself, I am delighted that British manufacturing is on a roll.”
Arriving in Japan, Mr Clark said: “it is the quality as well as the quantity of that investment that stands out and has contributed to making the UK automotive sector the success story it is.”
He added: “The Government is clear the UK remains open for business, which is why I am here, ensuring we continue our long-standing relationship with companies like Nissan.”
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One in three British cars is made at Nissan in Sunderland.
Last year it built 476,589 motors, with 80 per cent of production exported.
Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn warned that investment in Sunderland would hit the skids if Brexit led to the EU slapping tariffs on car exports from the UK.
He said Nissan would need “compensation” to splash the cash in the North East, where it has 7,000 staff and supports 21,000 more jobs in the supply chain.
Government sources were reluctant to confirm whether it promised to compensate Nissan.
Honda backed post-Brexit Britain with a £200million investment at its plant in Swindon.