We can boost our economy with robots, says Sturgeon

NICOLA Sturgeon has pledged to put robots and green energy jobs at the heart of her efforts to tackle Scotland’s failing economy.

As critics blamed the SNP for a decade of low growth and low productivity, the First Minister argued for the growing use of robots to ensure ‘everybody benefits from the transition to a technological economy and a more low-carbon economy’. In a major economic speech at a warehouse near Prestwick Airport yesterday she said: ‘This is one of the things I think governments have an opportunity to lead here.

‘We have an assumption – or I think an assumption has developed – that automation means less jobs. Actually, there’s lots of evidence that it doesn’t. It can do if you don’t do the right things, but if you do the right things it can mean better jobs – so that’s the challenge we’ve got to face up to.’

Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research Scot-

‘A government out of ideas’

land think tank has previously indicated that 46 per cent of all jobs north of the Border could be at ‘high risk’ as a result of automation by 2030.

Yesterday Miss Sturgeon finally admitted that action is needed to improve the economy and pledged to put this ‘at the heart’ of a policy relaunch for her government, to be announced next week.

It has been billed as a major ‘refresh’ of her government after ten years in power, following the slump in support for the SNP at June’s general election.

The First Minister said Scotland must again become a nation of inventors by leading the growing automation, green energy and low carbon industries.

She said: ‘Our productivity lev- els do now match the rest of the UK’s, but remain significantly behind those of many of our partners in the EU. And the relatively slow economic growth we have seen in the last couple of years – largely caused by the downturn in the oil and gas sector – demonstrates the need to do even more to promote sustainable growth.’

Scottish Conservative economy spokesman Dean Lockhart said: ‘The SNP need to fundamentally change their economic approach, but that’s not what we’re seeing here.

‘Under ten years of the SNP we’ve seen low growth, low productivity, and not enough innovation. That’s not good enough for an economy with a world-class workforce, and some of the world’s leading universities.

‘Scotland has great potential, but if we are to realise it we will need to see much more from a Scottish Government that looks like it is out of ideas.’

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