Warwick and Leamington MP offers support to JLR employees amid job cuts concerns
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) employees who live in and around Leamington and Warwick are being offered support from the MP for both towns amid deep concerns over thousands of forthcoming job cuts.
The car manufacturer formally announced the job cuts yesterday (Monday September 7), confirming plans to reduce its workforce by 4,000 as part of an effort to save £1.7 billion.
JLR employs 34,000 people in the UK, with local plants in Gaydon and Solihull and its headquarters in Coventry.
Referencing the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump last year and the cyber-attack on JLR - which has been described as the costliest cyber-attack in UK history - Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western said the last 18 months have been ‘seriously tough for the company’.
Joining many of his fellow MPs in writing to the Government calling on them to support JLR and the UK’s automotive industry, Mr Western has highlighted the significant contribution JLR makes to both the local economy and national economy.
He said: “The planned job cuts are deeply concerning, and I know so many staff and their families will be extremely worried at the announcement.
“I’ve written to the Government with fellow MPs calling for them to support JLR and the UK’s automotive industry.
"The UK automotive industry is truly one of the crown jewels of our economy and a critical part of our manufacturing base.
"The core is Jaguar Land Rover.
"I’m committed to supporting employees and JLR through this hugely difficult time and will be making the case to the Government.
He added: “If you work for JLR and are concerned about how these changes could impact you, please get in touch.
"I am keen to hear directly from you and understand what support would be most helpful and how it can be made available.”
Contact Mr Western by email here: [email protected]
Professor Pietro Micheli, professor of business performance and innovation at Warwick Business School, has commented on what the cuts will mean for JLR, the UK automotive sector, and the wider transformation under way across the European car industry.
He said: “JLR’s plan to cut up to 4,000 jobs is a serious blow to the UK automotive sector.
"But viewed alongside Volkswagen’s plan to remove 50,000 jobs, it’s also part of a much larger story - the established European automotive industry is being forced to adapt to a fundamental change in the basis of competition.
"JLR faces some exceptional pressures.
"But reducing costs addresses only part of the problem.
"In an article I wrote for The Conversation in March 2025, ‘Are the glory days of German carmakers gone forever?’, I argued that established manufacturers had underestimated changes in what customers value.
"Engineering, performance and brand heritage still matter, but increasingly so do software, connectivity, digital interfaces, battery performance and the overall experience of drivers and passengers.
He added: "For JLR and the wider UK industry and supply chain the answer cannot simply be further cost-cutting or protection of existing jobs and structures.
"The priority must be building future capabilities - batteries, software and AI, deeper relationships with technology and supply-chain partners, faster experimentation, and much closer attention to changing customer needs.
"Otherwise, British and European manufacturers risk moving from shaping the global automotive industry to defending increasingly narrow parts of it.”