You miserable lot! Fallon sinks SNP ‘nonsense’ on shipbuilding
DEFENCE Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has accused the SNP of spreading ‘misery’ over shipbuilding on the Clyde when ‘no other industry in Britain has as much certainty’ over its future.
Sir Michael insisted the Government had ‘kept faith’ with the Scottish shipyards, whose order books are full for the next 20 years, producing the Navy’s new Type 26 heavy frigates.
He dismissed as ‘nonsense’ comments from Nationalist politicians and a Unite union shop steward that they were ‘not sure’ they could trust the UK Government’s promises on future orders, adding: ‘Don’t worry about the SNP, they’re a miserable lot, they really are.’
Sir Michael said workers at BAE Systems on the Clyde were already building eight Type 26 frigates, along with five offshore patrol vessels, and had a ‘good chance’ of securing work on a new class of Type 31 light frigates.
The Scottish Government has previously accused the Ministry of Defence of reneging on a pledge to build the Type 31 warships on the Clyde when it put the £1.2billion contract out to tender earlier this year.
The ships, along with a £3.7billion contract to build eight Type 26 frigates already secured for the Govan and Scotstoun yards, will replace vessels being phased out.
Sir Michael said the Clyde was playing a major part in a ‘renaissance in British shipbuilding’, adding: ‘The Clyde is going to do well out of a growing Navy building the heavy frigates, and they’ve built part of the carriers and there’s every prospect of them putting in a strong bid for the light frigate.’
His comments came amid fears the work on the Type 31 warships could go to Merseyside after BAE Systems unveiled plans to team up with Birkenhead rival Cammell Laird for a joint bid.
Unite shop steward Duncan McPhee claimed there had been a change in strategy by ministers, leading to a cut in the number of ships supposed to be built on the Clyde. He said there had been an expectation that a contract for five Type 31 warships would be built by BAE Systems at Scotstoun, along with the eight Type 26 ships and three offshore patrol vessels under construction.
SNP defence spokesman Stewart MacDonald MP has spoken about numbers slipping in terms of orders. But Sir Michael, who also visited the Ferguson shipyard at Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, said: ‘The numbers aren’t slipping. There are going to be eight heavy frigates and five general purpose frigates.’
When asked to respond to Sir Michael’s description of the party as a ‘miserable lot’, an SNP spokesman said: ‘We won’t be responding to name-calling.’
‘The Clyde is going to do well’
WhAt bitter gall for the SNP to be accused of spreading misery over shipbuilding on the Clyde.
After all, its standard reply to anyone who dares criticise it is: ‘You’re talking Scotland down.’
And now that’s exactly what it is doing with its shroud-waving over the shipyards and its risible suggestion that the UK Government cannot be trusted over Royal Navy contracts.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon was in Scotland yesterday to see the Navy’s offshore patrol vessel hMS Medway officially named at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard in Glasgow.
Sir Michael said the Clyde was already playing a major part in a ‘renaissance in British shipbuilding’, adding: ‘the Clyde is going to do well out of a growing Navy.’
his message was upbeat, in complete contrast to that of the SNP and trade unions, whose complaints are as unfounded as they are loud.
And isn’t it funny that the SNP is always keen to talk up projects such as the new Queensferry Crossing as Scottish triumphs but is strangely reluctant to hail the engineering success that is the two giant aircraft carriers built across Britain and assembled at Rosyth?
Could it be because the mighty Queen Elizabeth ii – out on sea trials – and Prince of Wales – shaping up on the Fife shore of the Forth – underscore the economic clout of the UK as a whole?
And whenever the SNP starts to howl about Navy business, it is worth bearing in mind how many contracts for warships the British Ministry of Defence would place here were we independent: None at all.
Last word to Sir Michael. ‘Don’t worry about the SNP. they’re a miserable lot, they really are.’
Amen to that.