POLITICAL leaders want to lead a delegation to General Motors’ head office in Detroit to fight for the future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant.

Cheshire West and Chester council yesterday demanded an urgent meeting with GM president and chief executive Frederick A Henderson.

They say there is too much “confusion” over the future of the factory, which employs more than 2,200 Merseyside workers.

Vauxhall last night said it would prefer the council to focus its efforts on Westminster, as Mr Henderson already appreciated the value of Ellesmere Port.

Conservative councillor, Mike Jones, leader of Cheshire West and Chester council, and the borough’s chief executive, Steve Robinson, say they want to take the lead on the proposed trip to the US.

Throwing his weight behind the factory, Cllr Jones also said Ellesmere Port’s productivity, quality and safety make it one of the best in Europe.

He has written to Business Secretary Lord Mandleson calling for a cash injection into the plant, similar to moves by politicians in Spain and Belgium.

Cllr Jones said: “We share the acute concerns of the Vauxhall workers at Ellesmere Port about the confusing, conflicting and sometimes depressing reports about the future of their plant.

“Investment in the Astra has been considerable and we believe that we should be talking in terms of expansion – not uncertainty.”

Parent company GM is considering hiving off its European arm and Italian giant Fiat has expressed an interest in buying GM-Europe.

Last week unions representing staff at Ellesmere Port said they had seen secret Fiat documents outlining plans to close the Merseyside factory and another in Luton by 2016.