COLOGNE, Germany—The head of Ford in Europe demanded a fair deal from Britain over Brexit on Tuesday, saying it should not be disadvantaged in any rush to secure a stable footing.
The comments from Jim Farley follow apparent assurances Nissan received from the British government in October over the future of the Japanese company's Sunderland plant.
In an interview with AFP, Farley described Brexit as "a significant headwind" but said his team was "staying very close to the British government" to avoid losing ground.
"Free trade is the essence of our industrial infrastructure in Europe and we will fight for our employees," he said before alluding to the apparent deal Nissan made with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
"At Ford, we think being the biggest player in the market there, that it's quite important for the industry to have an aligned position. We will make sure that Ford is not disadvantaged in the UK."
To contain the immediate impact of the British electorate's vote in favor of leaving the European Union, Ford has increased its prices and reduced inventories.
Nissan's decision to go ahead with the new Qashqai sport utility vehicle and four-wheel-drive X-Trail model in Sunderland eased concerns about Brexit's impact on British industry.
But business minister Greg Clark caused an uproar after confirming that the government made several assurances to Nissan before the announcement.
He has refused to reveal the letter detailing what was pledged.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2016
