ALBA Party demand ‘Scottish Ferries are Built in Scotland’
ALBA Party have launched a new campaign to demand that Scottish Ferries are built in Scotland.
Alba want to see the Scottish Government “Directly Award” ferry contracts to Ferguson’s Shipyard in Port Glasgow.
The Party’s General Secretary says that if the fleet of Calmac small replacement vessels due for tender are not directly awarded to Ferguson’s then the shipyard will close.
Mr McEleny was at the Ferguson’s Shipyard in Port Glasgow at the weekend to launch his Party’s campaign. It will be supported by delivering a petition to households across the Port Glasgow area.
Alba says that with the Glen Sannox now on sea trials and sister ship the Glen Rosa due to be launched out of the yard soon, without the award of public contracts issued by government-owned CMAL there will be no work left at the yard and it will face closure.
Commenting Alba Party General Secretary Chris McEleny said:
“I say without fear or apology that when it comes to Scotland, Scotland’s ferries should be built in Scotland’s shipyards.
"But time is now running out. If SNP politicians and the Scottish Government agree with me then they need to get off the fence. They simply cannot keep Ferguson’s open with sound bites. There is no steel left to cut. There are no orders in the pipeline. There simply is not the work left to sustain a shipyard. The Glen Sannox is now out on trials. The Glen Rosa should be launched out of the yard shortly.
"If the Scottish Government does not directly award work to Ferguson’s, as opposed to sending more contracts overseas, the yard will close. That’ll be a devastating blow to the industrial capacity of the Clyde and as a result, our Commercial Shipbuilding that was destroyed by the Tories will finally come to an end on the SNP’s watch. That is simply not acceptable.
"If the Scottish Government do not make the decision to directly award the small vessels that are due to be put out to tender by CMAL directly to Ferguson’s then they should be under no illusion that it will be the political choice of the Scottish Government to see the gates of Ferguson’s Shipyard closed for good. I’m not willing to accept that, and I know the workers at the yard won’t either.”
