Nissan backing 'In' vote in Euro referendum

The car manufacturer today released a statement outlining its position on the forthcoming EU referendum.

Nissan employs 8,000 people in the UK across its Sunderland factory, Cranfield engineering centre and Paddington design base, and supports a further 32,000 jobs nationwide indirectly through dealerships and its supply chain .

The firm said that while the decision was ultimately a matter for the British people, it believed it made 'the most sense for jobs, trade and costs' for the UK to stay within Europe.

While Nissan will not be actively campaigning in the run up to the EU referendum on June 23, Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said: "We are a global business with a strong presence in Europe.

"We have a rich heritage in the UK, with 30 years of manufacturing and engineering presence, and remain committed to building and engineering cars in the country. Last year we produced more than 475,000 vehicles in the UK – 80 per cent of which are exported.

"Our preference as a business is, of course, that the UK stays within Europe - it makes the most sense for jobs, trade and costs. For us, a position of stability is more positive than a collection of unknowns.

"However, this is ultimately a matter for the British people to decide.

"While we remain committed to our existing investment decisions, we will not speculate on the outcome nor what would happen in either scenario."

"We obviously want the Nissan UK plant and engineering centre to remain as competitive as possible when compared with other global entities, and each future investment opportunity will be taken on a case by case basis, just as it is now."