Measures to “turbocharge” the switch to electric motoring will be set out by Labour today.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh will announce a plan to rapidly scale up UK electric vehicle battery production which it will claim could create 80,000 jobs and spark more than £30 billion in investment.
At a central London conference attended by international automotive manufacturers and investors, she will also urge the Government to take urgent action on the incoming rules of origin provisions with the EU.
Goods sold in the EU by UK manufacturers will need certain percentages of local content from 2024 to avoid tariffs, causing growing concern in the automotive industry.
Ms Haigh will tell the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders event: “Labour are urging the Government to prioritise an agreement with the European Union to ensure manufacturers have time to prepare to meet rules of origin requirements and make Brexit work for them.
“But lets be clear: it’s the Government’s own failures that have made securing a deal necessary.
“They have had years and years to ramp up the UK’s battery capacity and have failed.
“And while the Conservatives stand back, Labour in government will turbocharge the transition to electric vehicles and create the conditions for our proud car industry to not just survive the enormous upheaval of the decade ahead, but thrive.”
She will say that Labour will “build resilience and security” by ramping up domestic battery capacity and expanding the roll-out of electric vehicles chargers, adding: “Our vision is one where good jobs in the industries of the future are brought back here to our industrial heartlands.”
Labour will force a Commons vote on the party’s proposals to ease the mortgage crisis, urging Tory MPs to “take responsibility” and back the plan.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party will use Tuesday’s opposition day debate to pile pressure on Rishi Sunak, after last week’s Bank of England interest rate hike threatened to heap further misery on struggling households.
Labour’s plan would see banks forced to help mortgage holders struggling with payments, with the party urging the Government to compel lenders to allow borrowers to temporarily switch to interest-only payments or lengthen their mortgage period.
You may also like: Tory MP mocks woman’s mental health challenges on Twitter
