Gigafactory plans close to collapse raising fresh doubts about UK car industry

Flagship industry in race against time to build battery production to meet looming ‘rules of origin’

Plans for a £3.8bn battery gigafactory are close to collapse, in a move raising fresh questions about the UK car industry following the Brexit trade deal.

The troubles that have hit the UK start-up Britishvolt are also a major embarrassment for Boris Johnson – who hailed the firm as a key part of his “Green Industrial Revolution” earlier this year.

The firm – which planned to create 300 jobs through the factory in Northumberland – is poised to enter administration after struggling to find investors.