We will show our support for Stay in EK fight

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the East Kilbride News.

This newspaper is proud to be backing the Stay in EK campaign which aims to keep HMRC’s tax offices right here in our town.

And from this week onwards, we will be showing that support on our front page masthead.

The Stay in EK logo will be placed in this prime position so everyone knows we are right behind the campaign.

News that HMRC have signed a longterm lease for a site in Glasgow where they plan to have a regional centre was considered a “blow” to the Stay in EK campaign.

While not welcome, this development does not change the objectives of the campaign which are to keep the offices and jobs in East Kilbride open. That is where our focus lies. This campaign is not solely about the misty-eyed, emotional aspect of HMRC’s historical presence in East Kilbride where they are very much part of the town’s fabric, although that is obviously a factor.

This is about retaining jobs which need doing in a town which has the capacity to accommodate HMRC. This is about protecting the economy of East Kilbride and the wider South Lanarkshire area. This is about steering away from a centralisation ideology focused on having a presence in cities. We will stand together with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) until the threat of closure and relocation has been lifted. This campaign has already enjoyed some small victories with plans to bring forward the office closures in East Kilbride shelved.

Now it’s time to for the next phase and our message to HMRC bosses is clear...

We want you to Stay in EK.