The Prime Minister has hinted at the possibility of providing struggling car firm Jaguar Land Rover with a short-term loan to help it through the economic turmoil.
Speaking at a conference in Liverpool, both Gordon Brown and the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, said they were "talking to the motor industry" about possible financial help and made special reference to Jaguar Land Rover and General Motors' Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant.
Brown said: "Jaguar Land Rover has owners and we are prepared to talk to them about how the downturn can be dealt with, but in the first instance, the company is going to have to make its own decisions. The issue is to get the economy moving again."
Darling insisted the government "will do whatever it can to support Jaguar Land Rover" .
The government statement comes as Japanese car giant Nissan announced that it will cut up to a quarter of its UK workforce (1200 jobs) at its Sunderland factory, as the recession continues to hit Europe's demand for cars .
Some 800 permanent positions at the plant will be axed and 400 temporary contracts will not be renewed, Nissan confirmed.




