Honda to cut 800 UK production jobs Honda is to cut 800 jobs at its UK car production site in Swindon, blaming weaker than expected demand from continental European markets such as Greece, Italy and Spain. The Japanese carmaker employs 3,500 at the Wiltshire plant, which has been making cars since 1992. The plan to shed staff reverses a recruitment drive last year, which added 500 workers. Ken Keir, executive vice-president of Honda's European arm, said the group remained "fully committed for the long term to its UK and European manufacturing operations." He added, however: "These conditions of sustained low industry demand require us to take difficult decisions. We are setting the business constitution at the right level to ensure long-term stability and security. The Swindon site makes the Civic, Jazz and CR-V models. It produced 151,000 cars in 2012, well down on its 250,000 capacity. The company said it had recruited heavily last year in the expectation that it would reach maximum production capacity over three years on the back of improved European demand. On Friday, however, it said it was now predicting static sales and production levels, although it said UK demand remained strong. The UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the news was disappointing: "The decline in European new car markets and uncertain growth prospects has forced a number of vehicle manufacturers to restructure their operations."