Nissan takes legal action over Vote Leave leaflet

The company said it was considering legal action after Vote Leave refused to remove its logo from a leaflet alongside the words: ""Major employers ... have all said they'll stay in the UK whatever the result of the referendum."

In a statement it said: "We were extremely disappointed to discover that the Vote Leave campaign had been using the Nissan name and logo in their literature and on their website without our permission. We immediately requested that they stop doing so.

“It has since come to light that the Vote Leave campaign continue to use our logo and trademark despite our repeated requests for them to stop.

“Permission to use our name and logo was not requested. If it was, it would not have been granted. Furthermore, use of the Nissan name and logo by the Vote Leave campaign in their materials grossly misrepresents our widely circulated and publicly stated position announced on 23rd February 2016.

“To be clear, Nissan is not supporting any political campaign regarding this most serious of issues. This is a matter for the people of the UK to decide.

“We vigorously protect the Nissan brand and intellectual property in all markets in which we operate. We have repeatedly asked Vote Leave to stop using our name and logo on their materials and to stop misrepresenting our views – a request that has clearly been denied.

“As such, we will be issuing legal proceedings today [June 20th] in the High Court asking for an injunction to stop Vote Leave’s use of Nissan’s name and logo, and to prevent them from making any further false statements and misrepresentations concerning Nissan.“

Nissan, which employs 6,700 people at its Sunderland factory, has remained broadly neutral during the campaign although the company says it would prefer a 'Remain' vote.

It added: "In light of the confusion caused by Vote Leave’s use of the Nissan name and logo in their campaign, this morning we have written to all of our staff to clarify our position and the action that we are taking.

“To be clear, while it is Nissan’s preference as a business to remain in the EU, we are not advising our employees which way to vote. As an employer, we strongly believe it is important for our staff to do what is right for them.”

Leading figures in the British car industry have backed a vote to remain in the European Union.

Senior managers at firms including BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and Vauxhall set out the benefits to the industry of EU membership.

David Cameron said on a visit to the BMW plant in Oxfordshire, which makes the Mini range, that access to Europe's single market was "vital" to the industry and the jobs it supports.

Ian Robertson, a member of the BMW board, said: "We firmly believe Britain would be better off if it remained an active and influential member of the EU, shaping European regulations which will continue to impact the UK whatever the decision on Thursday."

Jaguar Land Rover's chief financial officer, Ken Gregor, said a vote to Remain would increase the firm's chances to "grow, create jobs and attract investment in future technologies".

Toyota deputy managing director Tony Walker said EU membership is "best for our business and for our competitiveness in the longer term".

And Rory Harvey, managing director and chairman of Vauxhall, said: "We believe not to be part of the EU would be undesirable for our business and the sector as a whole."

Some 77 per cent of the firms in the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have backed a vote to Remain.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes warned that Brexit could "jeopardise" the industry.

He said: "UK Automotive is globally competitive, securing record levels of investment, creating tens of thousands of jobs annually and exporting to over 100 countries.

"We want this success to continue rather than jeopardise it by increasing costs, making our trading relationships uncertain and creating new barriers to our single biggest and most important market, Europe."

The Prime Minister visited two firms involved in the supply chain for the Mini's doors before helping to assemble the finished product at the vast Cowley plant near Oxford.

After putting the finishing touches to a door on the assembly line, Mr Cameron used his tie to wipe away a smudge he had left on the bodywork.

The PM, who was joined on the visit by former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, said he had a "very simple message" that "access to the European single market is vital for jobs in our country".

He said the Mini plant employed 4,500 people and 44 out of every 100 cars built there were exported to countries in the single market.

"I want more Minis, more jobs, more skills, more training and that means remaining in a reformed European Union," Mr Cameron said.

Leave-supporting former British Chambers of Commerce director-general John Longworth told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "The auto industry is different from the rest of industry in the sense that it has a 10% tariff for cars from outside the EU.

"The biggest power in the EU - Germany - exports way more cars to the UK than we do to them, so they are not going to allow the erection of tariffs because they would damage their own industry and shoot themselves in the foot.

"Even if, in a moment of madness, they did, what's the worst that can happen? German cars would become a little bit more expensive, we would buy a few less and would end up buying more British-produced cars."