Almost 350 people work at the factory

Union leaders, company bosses and MPs will be joined by officials from the regeneration agency One North East to discuss the plight of workers at the Sara Lee Courtaulds factory in West Auckland, County Durham.

The company says it will be forced to close the factory in October after a decision by Marks and Spencer (M&S) to source work abroad to cut costs.

The factory makes women's clothing for Marks and Spencer's exclusive Autograph range.

The Westminster meeting is chaired by Derek Foster, the Labour MP for Bishop Auckland.

He will be joined by representatives from the company and the GMB union.

GMB regional organiser, Derek Cattell said: "We have not given up hope of saving some or all of the jobs at West Auckland.

"We have to remain positive and try to explain to Marks and Spencer that they should rethink their decision."

Mr Foster has already urged Marks and Spencer to reverse its decision to have its clothes made abroad.

He said he has asked the board of M&S to retain production in County Durham and save almost 50 years of textile manufacturing at the West Auckland plant.

Unions have launched a protest campaign against the high street chain, which says it will continue to strive to cut costs to give its customers competitive prices.

Mr Foster said the closure announcement was another "devastating blow" to County Durham's fragile textile industry, which once employed thousands.

More than 95% of the workforce at the American-owned factory are women.