Ford has made a 5.5 per cent pay offer to its British workers, despite having to cut wages by a fifth in America.

It is part of a three-year deal and has yet to be accepted by unions. It would be back-dated to November.

A spokesman for the company in Britain said that there was no chance the offer could be rescinded, despite the carmaker's global difficulties. “We have made a commitment and everyone knows about it. The unions will let us know in January. They might even reject it,” the spokesman said.

The offer was based on retail price inflation figures, which hit 5 per cent in July and September.

Ford has had to cut production in Britain, having moved workers at its Transit van factory in Southampton to a four-day week.

Figures on new UK car registrations released on Thursday showed that sales had suffered their worst fall in November for 28 years, declining by 37 per cent, the seventh consecutive month of decreases, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The industry is expected to use the latest figures to step up its arguments for help from the Government, but Ford's pay offer could jeopardise any help that the company may receive.

Ford continues to produce the best-selling cars in the UK, with its new Fiesta model taking the No1 spot in November, followed by the Focus, which was the bestseller over the first 11 months of the year.

News of Ford's pay offer emerged as BMW, the premium carmaker, said that sales had fallen by a quarter in November. Sales of its Mini brand in the UK were down 58 per cent and its Oxford plant will begin a month-long shutdown after this weekend's Sunday shift.

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