Brexit means no UK manufacturer able to build UK government department cars

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The government's next fleet of armored ministerial cars will be made in Germany as supply chain issues hampered by Brexit mean no UK manufacturer is able to meet its demands, The Independent has learned.

The Metropolitan Police announced over the summer that it was ditching armored Jaguar XJs for Baden-assembled Audi A8s. -Württemberg, which has drawn criticism.

But it has now been revealed that the decision was made because no UK carmaker is "capable of meeting the demands of the call bids,” forcing the hand of the Met.

Last year, UK car production hit its lowest level since 1956, due to skills shortages and supply chain issues aggravated by Brexit and the pandemic.

Jaguar provides cars ministers to the British government for more than three decades, but its factories have had to suspend production at times in recent years due to problems obtaining parts.

"Twelve years of unstable ty Tories and uncertainty have left our car industry in pain,” said Jonathan Reynolds, Labor Secretary of State. an industry that works hard and deserves better."

The problems with getting a suitable car from the UK were revealed in a written response to a question from the London Assembly, which controls the Metropolitan Police Authority. The Met is in turn responsible for ministerial protection, including the purchase of cars.

"All Metropolitan Police Service contracts are subject to public procurement regulations , taking into account safety requirements as well as vehicle costs and availability," the officers said in a statement.

"For this particular tender, at the time of the tender, there was no UK original equipment manufacturer able to meet the requirements of the tender or produce a similar vehicle specification, therefore no tender was made by none British made for the contract.

In 2016, the UK produced around 1.7 million cars a year, but since the EU referendum that figure has steadily fallen to 786,000, according to the latest figures from the society. of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Production appeared to be bottoming out earlier this year and has now leveled off, with a very slight increase in recent months....