Concerns for Vauxhall grow as GM talks stall

Concerns for the future of Vauxhall grow, as talks in Germany break down over which firm will buy its parent company, GM Europe, the BBC reports.Two of the bidders have already said that they will cut thousands of jobs in Europe, should the German government select them as the preferred bidder.Earlier on today, talks in Germany about who should buy GM's European unit - which contains brands Opel and Vauxhall - ended without reaching a decision.But German ministers and the British Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson said that the four potential bidders had been whittled down to two, leaving Italian carmaker Fiat and Canadian-Austrian car parts firm Magna as the two remaining suitors.Fiat has said that it will cut 10,000 jobs across Europe if its bid is successful.With the German government a key player in negotiations, there are fears that Vauxhall jobs could be hit hardest by these proposed job losses.In Germany, GM brand, Opel employs Opel employs 25,000 people.Meanwhile, Vauxhall employs around 3,000 people at two plants, one in Luton and another in Ellesmere Port. Unite the union criticised the UK’s lack of support for Vauxhall.Unite's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "It's no good providing billions to the banks but buttons for manufacturing. Thousands of jobs are at stake at Luton and Ellesmere Port. Once lost they won't return, our manufacturing capability and the UK's R&D base will be left hamstrung."Lord Mandelson claims the government is prepared but so far there has only been talk and no action. "This is crunch time. It's time for the UK government to be decisive and do everything humanly possible to protect Britain's manufacturing base."

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