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Mandy and Merkel clash over GM
Business secretary Lord Mandelson said General Motors should take an “objective, commercial decision” when choosing a buyer for its European arm Opel, which should not be “distorted by political considerations”. The comments were seen as a thinly-veiled criticism of German chancellor Angela Merkel, who is offering state subsidies to Magna – the Canadian car parts firm that looks set to net Opel – in exchange for ensuring that German jobs are safe. Such an outcome would likely mean job losses among Opel’s 5,000 UK staff.