CLAIMS that a deal to build a multi-billion pound electric car battery plant in Bridgwater is in the bag should be treated with caution, according to the local MP.

The BBC has claimed today (Wednesday, May 24) that the boss of Jaguar Land Rover-owner Tata is expected to next week finalise the deal that could create 9,000 jobs on the Gravity business park.

The broadcaster said negotiations have moved to "drafting and choreography of how the landmark agreement will be presented".

The report says "the UK is set to win a battle with Spain" to build the plant and cited an unnamed source as saying it was "the most significant investment in UK automotive since Nissan came to Britain in the 1980s".

The story comes days after a number of car manufacturers warned they would leave the UK unless it upped its game in the production of electric car batteries.

The Government has admitted the urgent need for an electric vehicle battery manufacturing capability in the UK to secure the future of the country's car industry.

But Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger poured water on the BBC's "speculation".

While he is hopeful the factory will be built in Bridgwater at some stage, he said there have been "no official or unofficial announcements".

He said: "Everybody is working together in Somerset for this, but these things take a long time. It's been a huge team effort.

"We are trying to make sure we land the deal as we know what it's capable of doing.

"It's been a long process and we've had a deal ready to go for months."

The BBC report says a government would need to fork out hundreds of millions of pounds in subsidies to attract Tata to the UK.

It says the money would "take the form of cash grants, energy subsidies and other training and research funding".

If the UK does manage to bring the Tata plant to Bridgwater, it would be a massive post-Brexit coup.

While there is currently a single electric vehicle factory in this country, there are 35 on mainland Europe, either open, under construction or planned.