THE Prime Minister today said the government was continuing to do everything it could to stop the closure of the Ford factory next month.

David Cameron was visiting the B&Q head office in Chandlers Ford this morning as part of the Conservative by election campaign.

After taking questions from staff Mr Cameron was asked by the Daily Echo where he and his cabinet colleagues, who have flocked to the constituency in recent days, where were when the announcement came that the factory was closing with the loss of 400 jobs.

He said:"What we were doing was working very hard with Ford to keep them in the UK sadly on this occasion we could not persuade them to go back on their plans.

He added: "It is disappointing that this is going ahead in Southampton."

Mr Cameron said the government was continuing to talk to the company about the closure and said we're doing everything they could to change their minds.

"We will go on on having conversation with them as we do with every car company about their decisions. We have used everything we have go on using everything at our disposal for example the regional growth fund, help with training help with exports, everything we can do.

Whilst stopping short of saying there could still be hope for the plant, Mr Cameron added: "We will go on working with all the car companies, Ford included, to try and get the best outcome for Britain."

He spent just under an hour at the Chestnut Lane headquarters where he took questions from staff 1,000 of whom who had gathered for the event.

The Prime Minister was quizzed about cuts to benefits, his commitment to renewable energy and even whether he was a member of the company's loyalty scheme, to which he confessed to being terrible at DIY.

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