TOBACCO workers have met with council chiefs in a bid to heighten concern over the threat of job cuts in the industry.

Union representatives from Rothman's Darlington plant met Barry Keel, chief executive of Darlington Borough Council, to hammer home fears that EU legislation could force large-scale redundancies at the factory.

Councillor Tony Richmond said that, while proposals to ban the production of cigar-ettes above 10mg tar go through the European Parliament, the British taxpayer is paying to subsidise farmers in Greece and other European countries to grow high tar tobacco for export outside the EU