Cyber Attack On JLR Should Be A ‘Wake-Up Call’ For British Industry – Minister

Industry minister Chris McDonald has said he is “supremely confident” Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will recover from its recent cyberattack, but warned the incident must serve as a wake-up call for British industry.

The UK’s largest carmaker was hit by a cyber incident on 31 August and has since extended its pause in production until 1 October. The disruption has rippled across its supply chain, affecting hundreds of companies and thousands of workers.

During a visit to Webasto, a key JLR supplier in Sutton Coldfield, McDonald emphasised the severity of the attack. “We can’t underestimate just how serious this is,” he said. “JLR is a flagship of British industry. I’m affronted by this attack, but I am supremely confident they will get through it. They are making progress every single day.”

He urged businesses of all sizes to take cybersecurity seriously: “Anyone running a business should presume that you are under cyberattack. There are people every single day trying to take British companies down. Cybersecurity must be up to date.”

While Unite has called for a furlough-style scheme to support supply chain workers, McDonald signalled that support should be led by businesses themselves rather than through a one-size-fits-all government package. “It’s really important to be responsive to business leaders,” he said.

MPs from the West Midlands and Merseyside, where JLR has major plants, have urged Business Secretary Peter Kyle to consider Covid-style loans for firms employing more than 200,000 workers in the supply chain. West Midlands mayor Richard Parker stressed the importance of government action once the scale of the impact is clear.

Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade select committee, described the crisis as “a cyber-shockwave” and a “test for Government”, highlighting JLR’s central role in advanced manufacturing and the national economy.

Kyle, who visited JLR’s Gaydon headquarters with McDonald, said: “Getting JLR back online as soon as possible is my top priority. This Government is on the side of our world-leading automotive sector, and we are working closely with JLR and the wider industry to minimise the impact of this incident and support long-term resilience.”

The incident reinforces the importance of cyber risk planning, supply chain resilience and cross-sector collaboration in protecting critical industries from disruption.