Press Release:
The Luton Green Party is deeply concerned by the announcement of the planned closure of Vauxhall’s Luton plant. The highly skilled Luton workforce was due to begin production of an electric van in January 2025, representing a critical step in the transition to a greener economy. The closure would devastate not only the 1,100 workers directly employed at the plant but also the thousands of jobs in the wider supply chain and local community that depend on it.
The decision to shut down Vauxhall Luton defies logic. It undermines the UK’s manufacturing base and threatens progress towards a green transition at a time when investment in sustainable industries has never been more critical. We must ask: what future is there for a green transition if flagship projects like this are allowed to fail?
Whilst CEO Carlos Tavares has recently resigned, Stellantis the owners of Vauxhall have still refused to engage in meaningful discussions about alternatives to closure. Instead, they intend to issue redundancy notices from 10th January, leaving hundreds of families in limbo over the festive period and threatening Luton with one of the worst economic blows since the Second World War.
Protecting Workers and the Green Economy
Luton Green Party stands in solidarity with the workers of Vauxhall Luton and the wider community. These are productive, high-value jobs in manufacturing, not low-paid, insecure work. Allowing the closure to go ahead would not only destroy livelihoods but send a damaging signal about the UK’s commitment to transitioning to a green economy.
The closure of Vauxhall Luton would derail plans to produce electric vehicles at scale in the UK, at a time when action to combat the climate crisis is more urgent than ever. The Green Party believes we need to invest in green jobs, not cut them, and to ensure workers are at the heart of the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Call to Action
We urge Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to step in immediately to prevent this unnecessary closure and help secure the UK future green economy. If the owners of Vauxhall refuse to safeguard the future of the site, the Government must explore all options to save these jobs and retain this vital green manufacturing capacity.
The closure of Vauxhall Luton would not only harm Luton but also undermine the UK’s ability to compete in the growing global green economy. Luton Green Party calls on all stakeholders – local and national – to come together to save this plant, protect its workforce, and prioritise a just transition to a green economy.
We stand with the workers of Vauxhall Luton. We will not let them be forgotten.
For media enquiries, please contact: Luton Green Party at info@luton.greenparty.org.uk.