Union pleads for auto bailout

Britain’s manufacturing workers union has pleaded with the government for assistance for the struggling card industry.

The UK's biggest trade union, Unite, said: ‘The failure in the US to agree a package of financial support for the troubled car manufacturers must not delay UK Government assistance for the car industry in this country.’

According to Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite said: ‘The UK car industry is facing unprecedented tough times.

He said tens of thousands of jobs are at risk and called for ‘unprecedented intervention from the government’, just as was done with the banks.

‘Without urgent Government-led intervention this market turmoil will drag our car and components industry down,’ said Woodley.

Commenting on the situation in the US he said the livelihoods of millions of people were in jeopardy. ‘It is beyond comprehension that a deal will not eventually be forthcoming in the US.’

He pressed the government for a £13bn fund to inject liquidity into manufacturing. ‘Such a move would echo the intervention by the German government to support their manufacturing base.’