Sinking promise

Scottish shipbuilders are right to feel betrayed (Scotsman, 7 September) as in the run-up to the 2014 independence referendum, Unionist politicians and Labour trade union leaders stressed that staying in the UK was necessary to secure the future of Scotland’s shipbuilding industry with a promise of 13 type 26 frigates and a £200 million new frigate factory at BAE on the Clyde.

However, rather than relying on government defence contracts, Norwegian shipyards direct their business activities towards four main markets: offshore vessels, advanced fishing vessels, passenger/car ferries and specialised coastal vessels. Despite much higher labour costs, in 2015 Norwegian shipyards employed over 10,000 people and completed 23 new ships. Add to this, thriving ship repair and oil rig decommissioning sectors.

Nevertheless, the UK Government’s U-turn on shipbuilding is just the latest referendum broken promise, as we were also told that the only way to guarantee remaining in the EU was to vote No to independence.

FRASER GRANT Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh I thought I was long past being upset at the brass necks and irony by-passes endemic to the SNP leadership. Yet I was still taken aback by the First Minister remarking that shipbuilders in Scotland had been ‘’betrayed’’ by the UK Government in distributing the latest naval orders among several yards.

Is there a shipyard worker anywhere in this country unaware that if Ms Sturgeon and her party get their way there willbenoroyalnavyshipyard orders of any kind ever again? And that, in time, all naval bases in Scotland will close under the SNP if they ever managed to break up the UK.

Only the most obtuse or blindly zealous of nationalists could be taken in by this chicanery.

ALEXANDER MCKAY New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh