The United Kingdom’s Business Secretary, Vince Cable, warned automakers to not rely on government aid, stating that the “emergency” crisis is over. The previous administration helped automakers during the economic crisis by providing money and schemes to help drive up sales (such as the country’s swappage programme).Cable, however, completely ruled out “direct support.” In an interview with the Financial Times, Cable said,

“We don’t want to go around the country waving a chequebook. We’re moving away out of an emergency time, and support will come in more indirect ways. Not in direct support for companies – we don’t have the funding to do that, and it isn’t good policy anyway.”

Cable also said that General Motors has not approached the government about grants to build the Ampera in the UK, but also said such “projects shouldn’t depend on government support.”

The GM Authority Take

Last time we checked, GM wasn’t looking to build the Ampera in the UK. GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will build the Volt as well as export version of the much-anticipated EREV until production for European models is moved somewhere else within Europe. If, however, GM decides to build the (Opel and Vauxhall) Ampera in the UK, the move may be The General’s first shot across the bow in the general direction of Germany, after the country decided against loaning GM any money for the restructuring of Opel/Vauxhall. This should be interesting…

[Source: AFP]