Government must step in say Rover-istas

Fans demand Chinese cherry-picking be stopped

By PH Staff / Wednesday, 4 May 2005 / Loading comments

Could the SV become Chinese?

MG and Rover enthusiasts have demanded that the British Government intervene to thwart plans by Chinese car manufacturer SAIC, to cherry-pick assets from MG Rover Group Limited’s beleaguered Longbridge plant.

And in the latest in a series of demonstrations, Rover enthusiasts will be joining ex-MG Rover employees outside Longbridge to show their support for all those affected by recent events at Longbridge. The event starts on Thursday 5 May at 10am outside Q Gate at Longbridge.

An online opinion poll undertaken by MG-Rover.org – the world’s biggest MG and Rover enthusiasts’ Web site – revealed that nearly 93 per cent of those surveyed wanted immediate government intervention to stop the transfer of assets to China. The poll comes only days after the Chinese manufacturer indicated that it may be preparing for a swoop upon the remnants of the UK’s last volume car manufacturer.

MG-Rover.org Webmaster Steve Childs said, "There is immense anger and frustration amongst many MG and Rover enthusiasts as a result of SAIC’s sudden interest in some MG Rover Group’s assets. It does appear to be suspicious at the very least that after SAIC appeared to stall the talks on the joint venture, while knowing the financial state of MG Rover.

"Perhaps it was their plan all along to delay as long as possible, knowing that MG Rover’s entry into administration would allow them to gain access to the manufacturing capability of MG Rover whilst avoiding any potential liabilities as a Joint Venture partner and save a substantial amount of money as well.

"It would therefore be wrong if SAIC, aided and abetted by the Chinese government, were able to cherry-pick the remains of MG Rover Group, effectively getting what they wanted and at the same time stick two fingers up at the thousands of workers, who are now concerned about their own and their family’s future.

"Some commentators have generously referred to SAIC’s intentions as asset stripping. However for MG and Rover enthusiasts, ‘grave robbery’ would be a more accurate description.

"Despite recent events, I believe there is a sustainable future for volume car manufacturing in the UK in general, and at Longbridge in particular. However, central to realising that future, is preserving the Longbridge site as a manufacturing operation and avoiding a situation whereby Chinese companies can appear to effectively instigate a ‘fire sale’.

"It is therefore incumbent that HM Government shows a similar level of support to British manufacturers, as the Chinese government has shown for its indigenous manufacturing industry. A start would be for HM Government to immediately take action to obstruct Chinese plans for the relocation of MG Rover plant, production and equipment to China."