Tony Woodley, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union said (Friday 10th March) that the Government was right to intervene for the survival of MG Rover in April 2005, following publication of the National Audit Office's report into the collapse of MG Rover in April 2005.

"It would have been almost treasonable for any government not to have intervened for the survival of MG Rover. The size and importance of MG Rover, not just to the workers and their families, but to British manufacturing and the economy, meant any other response would have been irresponsible. Any and every government in Europe would have intervened in the circumstances, perhaps even more so than the DTI did.

"It is important to remember that at the time, we and many others involved in MG Rover, including the opposition parties, thought there was a reasonable enough prospect of the SAIC deal progressing to justify the £6.5m loan,  the amount needed to keep the workforce intact for only one week until SAIC made clear their position.

"Indeed, the Government's judgement to give SAIC a chance was proved absolutely correct when SAIC became re-engaged with a manufacturing plan and a bid for the assets. It was a question of bad timing, not of bad faith.

"If the deal had come off, as it almost did, and secured MG Rover's future, everyone would be singing the praises of the decision."
Source: Press Release