AN announcement over the long-term future of Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant will not be made today, a spokesperson for the carmaker has confirmed.

Executives from parent company Stellantis are understood to be meeting to discuss the fate of the North Road factory, which employs around 1,000 people.

A Vauxhall spokesperson confirmed to The Standard this afternoon that there would be no announcement made today.

Any announcement would be made "tomorrow at the earliest".

Last month Carlos Tavares, chief executive of Stellantis which has been formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA, said the company was "relieved" that a Brexit trade deal had been struck.

Speaking at a digital press conference marking the launch of what has become the world's fourth biggest carmaker, he confirmed there would be no plant closures resulting from the merger.

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However, uncertainty over the long-term future of the North Road factory has remained after Mr Tavares spoke about how the UK Government’s "brutal" decision to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 could “destroy the business model”.

He called on the UK Government to show “willingness to protect some kind of auto industry in their country”.

Mr Tavares said last month that a decision would be taken in the "next few weeks" on whether it would be viable to make electric vehicle investment in the UK.