Latest round of jobs cuts is a real blow

Ex-East Kilbride MP and chair of East Kilbride Labour party, Adam Ingram (pictured right), has expressed his concerns over the threat to the Rolls-Royce workforce.

Describing their skills as“irreplaceable”, he pledged his support with the unions in securing these“economically crucial jobs”.

Mr Ingram said:“Aerospace is essential to the engineering and manufacturing health of our country.

“From Belfast to Bristol, Derby to Glasgow, Prestwick and East Kilbride and many other communities across the UK, it provides tens of thousands of jobs.

“At its heart beats RollsRoyce, because without engines planes can’t fly and our economy would be grounded.

“In 1993, as part of a cross bench Parliamentary Committee of MPs, I helped produce a report on the need to protect and develop our UK Aerospace industries, from wing design to avionics, and of course engine manufacture and maintenance.

“Many of the report’s recommendations were taken on board by the then Tory Government and subsequently by the Labour Government under Tony Blair.

“We now need the same unified national response.

“We need to protect the irreplaceable and vital skill base which is now at risk on the back of the announcement by Rolls-Royce to cut 9000 jobs, many of the them likely to be in East Kilbride.

“That is why East Kilbride Labour Party stands four square with the unions in their efforts to encourage Rolls-Royce not to think short-term, but to work with Government to secure these economically crucial jobs.

“Hundreds of jobs in East Kilbride are dependent on such an approach, as is the future of our manufacturing sector within Scotland and the United Kingdom.”

East Kilbride’s MSP Linda Fabiani said:“This latest round of job cuts from Rolls-Royce is a real blow – particularly to the many, many workers and their families from our town who transferred from the EK site some years ago.

“The impact of the loss of these skilled jobs will be felt across East Kilbride and the surrounding areas.

“Having been in touch with the Scottish Government, I know the focus is on pressing the company to consider all available options and to help protect and minimise the impact on jobs at the Inchinnan site and related supply chains.

“I have been assured the Scottish Government are working with Rolls-Royce and the trade unions during the voluntary severance process as efforts are made to find a sustainable future for the site at Inchinnan, with those affected the Government’s priority.

“I will of course keep the many constituents who have contacted me updated with developments as I receive them, and disseminate the information more widely in every way I can.”

Tory MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, was this week disappointed by the news, he said:“The news of job losses at Inchinnan was devastating. I know there are a lot of workers there who transferred from East Kilbride.

“I was a councillor when Rolls-Royce announced it was pulling out of East Kilbride. I was involved in some discussions with the company. It was clear to me from the outset that once they had decided something then it would happen.

“No amount of pleading that they owed the town something, that they should leave a legacy, worked.

“It was pretty dispiriting and I suspect the outcome will be the same at Inchinnan.”