Honda Logistics deciding to end production in the UK is the latest development in the ongoing saga of the Honda manufacturing plant's impending closure.

On February 19, Honda first announced its decision to close the South Marston plant in 2021, putting 3,500 jobs at risk.

The international car manufacturer revealed it made the decision due to a restructure of its global manufacturing network which focused on production of electrified cars and stressed that Brexit was not a factor.

FULL STORY: 1,200 jobs at risk as Honda Logistics will end production in Swindon

Katsushi Inoue, chief officer for European regional operations at Honda Motor Co Ltd and president of Honda Motor Europe, said at the time: “In light of the unprecedented changes that are affecting our industry, it is vital that we accelerate our electrification strategy and restructure our global operations accordingly."

The news was leaked to Sky News the day before, which meant that the first time the plant’s 3,500 workers heard that their jobs were in jeopardy was from TV, radio or social media accounts covering the story.

In September 2019, Honda executive Ian Howells told BBC Radio 5 Live that production would continue at the Swindon plant, so the news of its impending closure a few months later came as a massive shock.

Repeated attempts by politicians, business leaders and unions to convince Honda to stay, and even the organising of a major strike with thousands of people marching through Swindon, could not change its mind.

Swindon Borough Council and the town's MPs are working with the manufacturer to support all the workers affected and have now pledged to offer help to those in the logistics firm who will also face redundancy.

The closure of the Honda plant is expected to have a knock-on effect along the supply chain which includes an estimated 12,000 employees.