Holiday rowmars talkson 2Sisters
A war of words has broken out between an MSP and the leader of South Lanarkshire Council over the future of the 2 Sisters chicken plant.
Labour’s James Kelly claimed that a meeting between the Scottish Government’s business minister Paul Wheelhouse and the local authority was delayed by a week because council chief John Ross was on a foreign holiday.
The claim has been strongly denied by Mr Ross – who in turn accused the Labour politician of lying.
We reported last week that 450 jobs will be lost at the Cambuslang plant when it closes in August.
Mr Kelly said:“The SNP government and council are
failing local workers who are losing their jobs.
“It is deeply worrying that when 450 jobs are about to go, the business minister has to wait a week to organise a phone call with the council.
“To hear of the SNP council leader then posting holiday photos on Facebook and being unable to respond is very concerning.
“Setting up an action group should be an immediate priority.
“As Paul Wheelhouse waits days to make a call and John Ross boasts about his runs in the Canaries on Facebook, the SNP’s priorities clearly are not with the local workers.”
Mr Ross, who earlier this month was in Fuerteventura, responded by accusing Mr Kelly of merely seeking to make cheap political gain.
He said:“I am disappointed but not at all surprised to see James Kelly trying to use the difficulties at 2 Sisters to make cheap political points.
“He would do better to use his time and energy to actually try to help people who face losing their jobs. That is what the council, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise are doing.
“To be clear, I have been involved in these discussions throughout this period and remained in contact with council officers while I was abroad. So no meetings, discussions or actions were in any way delayed and to suggest otherwise is simply a lie.”
Turn to page nine for more on the 2 Sisters closure.