Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

David Prosser: Hoist on our own petard?

Tuesday 13 October 2009 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Outlook Good news then for Vauxhall workers, for whom Lord Mandelson's Department of Business appears to have secured vital concessions on jobs and production from Magna, the recommended bidder for their GM Europe parent company.

Before we get too carried away, however, it's worth remembering that the Magna deal is the subject of an ongoing investigation by Neelie Kroes, the European Union's competition commissioner. Ms Kroes is looking at whether the Germans are breaching state aid rules by offering Magna huge loan guarantees in return for assurances on domestic jobs that might adversely affect workers in other EU countries.

Those rules apply as much to the UK as Germany, of course. And if fewer jobs are going here, does that mean GM Europe's other European operations, particularly in Spain and Belgium, where unions have so far failed to reach agreements with Magna, will now suffer bigger losses? If so, Ms Kroes will have something to say about the loan guarantees the UK is offering, which are small compared to the German pledges, but still significant at around £400m. That's the trouble with the law – you can't use it only when it suits you to do so.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in