Mandelson asks for Magna talks
Business secretary Peter Mandelson said yesterday he was prepared to discuss support for Vauxhall with parent Opel’s new owners, Magna, noting that representatives from the Canadian auto parts supplier were due in Britain this week. “I hope Magna’s co-chief executive Siegfried Wolf will have good discussions with union leaders,” Mandelson said on a trip to Tokyo to promote business ties with Japan. A union representing workers at Vauxhall has said it fears at least 1,000 jobs could be cut under the planned takeover of General Motors unit Opel by Magna, which is backed by state-owned Russian bank Sberbank.