GKN’s owner will be grilled by MPs today over plans to shut the firm’s last UK automotive plant. 

Simon Peckham, chief executive of Melrose, will face Parliament’s business committee after his company was accused of going back on ‘the spirit’ of promises made when it bought the engineer three years ago. 

Broken promise: GKN recently prompted anger when it announced its plant in Erdington, Birmingham, would close with the loss of 519 jobs

Broken promise: GKN recently prompted anger when it announced its plant in Erdington, Birmingham, would close with the loss of 519 jobs

Broken promise: GKN recently prompted anger when it announced its plant in Erdington, Birmingham, would close with the loss of 519 jobs

GKN recently prompted anger when it announced its plant in Erdington, Birmingham, would close with the loss of 519 jobs. 

GKN insists the plant is no longer globally competitive. Critics warned it will be a blow to the UK’s automotive supply chain. 

Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, claimed the closure makes little sense given plans to make the region a leading hub for electric vehicle manufacturing. 

The firm had declined to appear in front of MPs, who are holding an inquiry about the impacts of Brexit. But Peckham later volunteered to answer questions about GKN. 

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