And almost finally...

  

Yesterday brought us the news that Nissan has committed itself to a long term future in Sunderland, with 6,000 jobs now seeming secure and the future for 70,000 ancillary workers looking bright. 

Nissan's boss Ashwani Gupta said:

Brexit for Nissan is positive, and being the largest automaker in the UK, we will take this opportunity to redefine the industry here. 

Brexit gives us the competitive advantage, not only in the UK, but outside the UK also. Because in how many [manufacturing] locations in Europe are the batteries localised? Very few." 

The sort of problems that we are seeing in the ports is peanuts, frankly. For a global manufacturer that is running 150 markets and 40 plants around the world, to have additional documentation and to fill out a form at the border, it's nothing. 

We were prepared for it, we had upgraded our software and our processes, it's okay. Of course when you bring a change you need to have agility, to adapt to the new change - that's the beauty of the organisation.

BBC One's News at Ten did report the story, but it was the final one before the sport and given just 22 seconds: 

The future of Nissan's car plant in Sunderland has been secured, with the company saying the Brexit trade deal will allow it to continue manufacturing in the North East - and give it a competitive advantage. Nissan will begin making the batteries for its electric cars at the plant so that it can take advantage of zero trade tariffs, helping to secure 75,000 jobs here and across the EU.

It got 25 seconds on BBC One's News at Six (where it was the next to last story before the sport). 

I'd have expected a report at the very least, especially given the sheer scale of the previous coverage given to Nissan's future in Sunderland vis a vis Brexit. But now it's a positive story about Brexit it suddenly doesn't seem anywhere near so important to the BBC.

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Incidentally, the BBC's website article by Simon Jack underwent a few headline changes. It began around midnight with Nissan says Brexit deal 'positive' and commits to UK but by 7am had become Brexit: Nissan commits to keep manufacturing in Sunderland, reaching its final form Brexit: Nissan commits to keep making cars in Sunderland by 9am - the latter a definite toning-down of the first headline's Brexit positivity. Wonder if Simon changed it, or a BBC website editor?