Measures to “turbocharge” the switch to electric motoring will be set out by Labour on Tuesday.
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.
Labour in government will turbocharge the transition to electric vehicles
Louise Haigh, shadow transport secretary
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.”
