Vivergo workers take urgent plea to Westminster

Workers from Vivergo Fuels, the UK’s largest bioethanol plant near Hull, took their concerns directly to Westminster this week amid fears the plant could close within days without urgent government support.

Roughly 35 employees travelled from Saltend Chemicals Park to Parliament on 4 June to lobby MPs, highlighting the risk posed by the recent UK-US trade deal that removed a 19% tariff on US ethanol imports.

Vivergo’s managing director, Ben Hackett, warned this tariff removal undermines the competitiveness of domestic bioethanol production, putting at risk the future of the plant and the livelihoods of more than 160 workers, plus thousands across its supply chain.

See also: UK biofuels sector in jeopardy as US trade deal stings

“With the future of Vivergo hanging in the balance, our workers felt compelled to speak directly to their MPs about what is at stake,” Mr Hackett told the BBC.

“This isn’t just one site – it’s protecting thousands of skilled jobs, supporting British farming, and preserving a vital part of our green energy infrastructure.”

Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, Karl Turner, travelled to London to meet Vivergo workers and hear their concerns.

He stressed the plant’s vital role in Hull’s economy and the UK’s push for sustainability.

Mr Turner has arranged a meeting with business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and is actively raising the issue in Westminster, warning of the risks posed by the UK-US trade deal – especially the removal of tariffs on US ethanol imports.

He has also tabled Early Day Motion 1248, urging the government to assess the deal’s economic impact and protect British jobs and green energy investment.

Fight to save jobs

Mr Turner vowed: “Hull jobs and the future of UK renewables are worth fighting for. I won’t stop until we get the protections we need.”

The plant, which produces bioethanol used in E10 petrol and animal feed, has seen production slashed due to low bioethanol prices following the tariff removal.

Without intervention, Vivergo warns it will be forced to close, a move that would hit British farmers hard since the plant relies on wheat from more than 12,000 farms across the UK, primarily in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Hull’s Mayor, Luke Campbell, also called on the government to reconsider the trade, saying: “Let’s protect British industry.”

A UK government spokesperson confirmed talks are ongoing and pledged to consider options for support, but stopped short of confirming immediate aid.