GORDON Brown yesterday pledged his government’s full support in putting Merseyside at the forefront of future car production.

Mr Brown, visiting Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant with wife Sarah, said the government was lobbying General Motors to ensure the plant would be at the centre of the revolution in hybrid technologies.

Last year the plant looked in danger of closure prior to a government loan bailout.

The Labour election campaign team made the assembly line its stop in the North West following the launch of the party’s manifesto in Birmingham.

The visit to the plant was the second in six months, with the government clearly looking to remind voters of its role in helping secure the factory’s future.

It is hoped GM will put the site at the forefront of developing the hybrid and low carbon vehicles of the future.

Mr Brown said: “We are lobbying (GM). We put everything in our powers up to help hybrid cars. We want Britain to be a leader and we believe Ellesmere Port will be a leader in that.

“We want to lead in electric and hybrid cars. It’s one of the futures of this country and to see the benefits of that here is really good news.”

The PM toured the assembly line before holding closed meetings with shop stewards and union officials.

He was less forthcoming on the future of Merseytram – but did hint the government may look at it again.

Labour has been accused of shifting the goalposts on the £400m Line One scheme. It initially collapsed in 2005 when it refused to fund it, saying costs had spiralled.