The Rover Takeover: 'Rebirth of British car industry': Reaction

LORD Young of Graffham, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at time of the Rover sale to BAe, said: 'I was surprised initially, but now I am thinking this is a rather good thing. It is the rebirth of the British car industry.'

Derek Robinson, known by the tabloid press in the 1970s as Red Robbo, the shop steward at Longbridge known for his confrontational style, said: 'It is an outrage that there was no consultation with the workers. I think it is a tragedy that the only British car manufacturers are to be foreign owned.'

Dr Alex Moulton, who designed the revolutionary Mini suspension as well as bicycles, said: 'It is sad to see Rover being sold to a foreign firm, if only for sentimental reasons . . . I hope very much that the technological base will not be transferred to Munich. That would be very sad indeed.'

Dr Ann Robinson, head of the policy unit at the Institute of Directors, said: 'It is a compliment to the British car industry that a company as successful as BMW would want to be involved in it.'

Roy Axe, director of design at Rover from 1981-91, said: 'If Rover have agreed a sale which is to its benefit it is a tribute to 10 years of hard work.'

Damon Hill, Britain's leading Grand Prix driver, said: 'It's nice that we have something people value, and if this safeguards jobs then good. If Rover is run down that would be bad . . .'