Union leaders and MPs have vowed to do all in their power to save over 240 jobs at Birmingham’s Dunlop Motorsport factory amid claims of a ‘disgraceful’ about-turn by its US owners.

Unite officials have pledged to continue the battle to keep the jobs in Birmingham, despite the announcement by Goodyear Dunlop that the landmark plant is to close after 125 years. The company plans to switch manufacture to the Continent after Jaguar Land Rover bought the site.

Erdington MP Jack Dromey has accused the Americans of ‘disgraceful behaviour’ over the closure announcement just days after agreeing to examine other options at a Dunlop Summit attended by Business Secretary Vince Cable.

The MP said: “Four days ago, Goodyear Dunlop agreed to examine all options of remaining in Birmingham at a Dunlop Summit convened by Business Secretary Vince Cable.

“The following day, BIS (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) civil servants and Birmingham City Council put together three alternative sites for Dunlop with the offer of financial support to relocate their factory. BIS were due to meet Dunlop this Friday.

“But, in an act of contempt for our city and our country, Dunlop has now announced closure out of the blue, exporting British jobs to Germany and France.

“Dunlop is guilty of disgraceful behaviour. We will not allow them to betray Birmingham and Britain, throwing high-skilled workers on the scrapheap. It cannot be right that a decision is made 3,600 miles away in Ohio to end 125 years of manufacturing history when Dunlop could move three miles and stay in Birmingham.”

Meanwhile, Unite regional officer Andy Taylor said: “We are certainly not giving up the battle. We are still in dialogue with the company and they have made a commitment that they will relocate in the Birmingham area.

“There were a number of sites that they were looking at and we still expect them to honour that commitment – there is an alternative to transferring work to Germany.

“There is a lot of work going on in the background. We have the commitment of the council and we have the commitment of Vince Cable and his team. This announcement has come as a shock, but we are carrying on the fight.

“Unite will not accept the company walking away from its commitments or its obligations to fully consult the workforce on this decision and will be looking to challenge and change the decision.”

The motorsport plant produces around 250,000 competition tyres a year. They range from vintage road and race tyres to state-of-the art car and motorcycle race tyres. It exports across the world.

Sanjay Khanna, managing director of Dunlop Brand Europe, said: “Our strong preference was to remain on our existing site, but this has not proved possible.”

The departure of Dunlop Motorsport from Birmingham will leave Dunlop Aircraft Tyres, owned by private equity group AAC Capital Partners, to fly the flag for tyre production in Birmingham.