SOLIHULL MP GOES TO SIR DIGBY IN BATTLE FOR LAND ROVER'S FUTURE

2.18.14pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 16th Jul 2007

Solihull MP, Lorely Burt has gone straight to the top in the battle to secure a strong future for Land Rover as the count-down begins for bids to buy Jaguar and Land Rover.

Mrs Burt, whose constituency includes Land Rover, has asked for a meeting with Sir Digby Jones to help secure the best possible outcome for the company and the 8,000 workers involved in the Solihull site.

Former CBI boss, Sir Digby is now Minister of State for Trade and Investment at the new Department for Business and Enterprise, and the Solihull MP reckons there is no one better placed in Government to press the case for Land Rover than the new Lord.

"Lord Jones was born in Birmingham and knows how important automobile manufacturing is to the entire region. He has been brought into government to use his undoubted expertise in business and industry, and I want him to do all he can to help secure the best possible future for the 8000 strong workforce at the Solihull site," said Lorely Burt MP

Mrs Burt has asked for an urgent meeting with Sir Digby to enlist his help in pressing the case with Ford for Land Rover.

"My greatest fear is that the fate of Land Rover falls into the hands of new owners who do not have the long term interests of the company at heart. Lord Jones is a respected voice in industry who I hope Ford will listen to."