"We are engaging with Vauxhall throughout the process. We have been doing so and will continue to do so," he said.

"They are now in a period of consultation. We fully appreciate that it will be a concerning time for the factory's workers as well as the supply chain and we, as ever, stand ready to support those affected."

Peugeot-maker PSA said on Monday it would make more redundancies at the plant, reducing the workforce by a third as part of efforts to make it more efficient.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; writing by Costas Pitas; editing by Stephen Addison)