A HOUSE of Commons motion which is heavily critical of motoring giant Ford’s treatment of former Visteon workers has received cross-party support.

The early day motion, which is effectively a petition for parliamentarians, was lodged by Stephen Metcalfe, Tory MP for Basildon South and Thurrock East.

It has already been backed by 31 MPs from parties across the political spectrum, including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Welsh nationalists from Plaid Cymru, and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party.

Visteon UK – which was set up by Ford to run its car component factory, in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon – went into administration in April 2009.

The closure left more than 600 people out of work at the Basildon plant and others in Enfield, Swansea and Belfast.

Former workers claim Ford promised them the same pay and conditions as its own staff, when Visteon took over the plants and their pension schemes.

However, Visteon’s pension scheme was left virtually worthless after the firm went broke and Ford has so far refused to step in and pay the former workers from its own retirement fund.

Mr Metcalfe’s motion criticises Ford’s behaviour and calls on the government to use its influence to “help ensure that Ford recognises its obligations and accepts its duty of care to former Visteon UK pensioners”.

A Ford spokesman said: "Visteon became an independent company in 2000 and was responsible for its own business decisions. Ford is clear that it has fully discharged its obligations in relation to the former employees of Visteon UK Limited."

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