# Labour say SNP will destroy Clyde ship yards.



## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

From the Scottish Daily Record - 

_A POLITICAL row over the future of shipbuilding on the upper Clyde erupted yesterday.

Labour clashed with the SNP over claims independence would scupper the industry.

And the battle broke out as a report said shipbuilding was worth £238million to the Scottish economy and supported 4500 jobs.

The amazing turnaround after 40 years of decline was revealed by the respected Fraser of Allander Institute.

BAE's twin yards at Govan and Scotstoun in Glasgow are taking on extra workers to tackle a multibillion-pound order book.

The success story has come on the back of a £6billion contract to build six Type 45 destroyers for the Royal Navy.

But Labour said it would be threatened by Scots independence.

The SNP denied the "scaremongering" claim, saying: "The only reason the Govan yard was saved in 1999 was because of SNP pressure."

Armed forces minister Adam Ingramhas said the Navy would not commission warships from an independent Scotland. They would be built in England. Labour's Scotland Office minister, David Cairns said: "MoD and international contracts are vital to that yard and other facilities across Scotland, as well as essential for our manufacturing and skills base.

"All of this would be put at risk by the SNP.

"The cost and chaos of an SNP government would drive jobs and investment away from Govan."

Labour MSP for Govan Gordon Jackson added: "This report underlines the importance of BAE to Govan.

"It outlines the local direct employment of almost 3000 workers, including 350 new apprenticeships over the last four years, as well as the huge significance of more than £73million paid annually to local workers.

"It is UK orders which keep the yard going and the SNP's plans to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK would bring an end to this."

Yesterday, Vic Emery, managing director of BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions, said: "The business continues to thrive year after year and we will continue to invest in our people and our facilities to ensure that we remain at the heart of the Scottish economy."

Union bosses said in a joint statement: "It is a tribute to the men and women of the Clyde that the shipbuilding industry remains such a thriving force and continues to play a major role in the manufacturing industry in Scotland.

"Clyde-built still sets a benchmark for excellence in warship building for customers around the world."

While BAE Systems bosses refused to comment on the political row, Labour claimed the fact they commissioned and published figures showing the company's importance to Scotland suggested they were concerned about independence. Labour's attack came after armed forces minister Adam Ingram warned that independence would threaten 26,000 MoD and defence-related jobs in Scotland.

Speaking about Clyde shipbuilding in Edinburgh in January, he said: "There's no possibility that a rest-of-Britain navy would commission work from an independent Scotland.

"The SNP would end shipbuilding in Govan."

Ingram also said Scotland's three big RAF bases, Kinloss, Lossiemouth and Leuchars - which employ 6000 people - would be under threat, along with 7000 jobs at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde.

Last night, the SNP slammed the claims their plans for independence would destroy the shipyards.

They said: "Labour's scaremongering is getting more ridiculous by the day. If it hadn't been for the SNP, the yard would have closed.

"The Government is on record as saying that orders should go to the most efficient yards in Europe - and the Clyde yards rank among the best.

"They will be just as successful in an independent Scotland - just as other small nations have successful shipbuilding industries."_

Rushie - SN Newshound.!


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## billmaca (Jan 14, 2006)

Thats good coming from the party that buys fishery protection vessels for its own fleet from abroad,

Billy


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## Lksimcoe (Oct 30, 2006)

He has a point though. If Scotland declared their independance, England could easily change their policy to a "Buy English First". The yards in England would certainly not complain for the extra business.

We see the same threats here in Canada whenever the Separatists campaign in Quebec. They assume that they will be independant, and still line up at the Federal Government feeding trough. The reality would be the rest of Canada cutting them off without a dime. Perhaps the same would happen in England?


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## lakercapt (Jul 19, 2005)

When I was a member of SNP (long time ago) we were always told that it would have dire consequences to separate from the UK.
Now that UK is part of E.U. do you really think that all these tales of woe would happen if Scotland were to decome a seperate country again?
I am a Canadian now and although my wishes are that they seperate it would not effect me one way or another.
As a member of SNP all those years ago I was on record in "Scotland Yard" as a potential risk. Wonder if thats changed now.
Bill


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

Assuming that both countries remained members of the EU then they would both be subject to that body's rules on competition and tendering processes, so to discriminate against an independent Scotland would be illegal.
CBoots


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