HONDA workers will march in London today to urgently lobby MPs to save the plant in Swindon.

Unite vowed last week its representatives will travel to the capital to pressure MPs and the Japanese-owned car maker to keep production in Swindon.

Alan Tomala, regional officer for the Unite union, told the Adver before the coach left this morning: "Today is about broadening the campaign and taking it right to the heart of the political establishment. The view today is to lobby MPs and ministers to get them to ask emergency questions, essentially to put the closure of that plant on the political agenda.

"What it requires is not just our campaign in the local community, it requires political will. This is a huge decision, it's going to affect huge amounts of people and communities across the country."

Ray Spurr, deputy convenor for Unite, who has worked at the plant for 25 years, added: "Even if there's a slim chance of keeping this plant open then it's worth it.

"For all associates at Honda we thought we were part of the future of Honda and the electric manufacturing revolution. And when we received the news were were so devastated because we thought we were part of that future.

"As a workforce we have been dedicated, loyal and hard working, and have helped the company when we were needed.

"We are worth more than the decision that's been taken."

An online petition to urge the Japanese Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo to rethink the decision to close the plant has gained more than 12,000 signatures.

The company made the shocking announcement last month that it plans to close the plant by 2021, with the loss of 3,500 jobs and possibly 12,000 jobs or more across the country further down the supply line.