Swinney pledges support for Paisley plant

had an effect on the business.

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Mr cameron was put under pressure by Labour leader ed Miliband on the rising cost of energy bills.

it is the first major split on economic policy since the tory/ Lib Dem coalition came together in May 2010 and has led to Labour claiming it was the day Mr cameron “lost control of his government”.

Amid heated exchanges yesterday, Mr cameron lashed out at Mr Miliband, telling him: “Sir John Major is a good man, you are acting like a conman.”

the Prime Minister was later rebuked by Speaker John Ber- the Scottish Government is to hold urgent talks with chemical firm BASF on the future of its closure-hit site.

BASF is planning to shut its plant in Paisley, renfrewshire, with the loss of 141 jobs.

the hawkhead road factory has produced pigments to colour inks, paints, paper and plastics for almost 60 years.

it is due to shut by the middle of 2015 because of a rapidly changing market and unsustainable manufacturing costs, according to BASF. “A large part of Paisley’s products are used for printing publications and the once highvolume printing industry is shrinking as new technologies reduce demand for pigments,” the company said.

Finance secretary John Swinney pledged government support for BASF staff and their families. “the Scottish Government and our agencies will meet the company as a matter of urgency to discuss options for the site,” he said.

“in the meantime we have offered support to BASF through our initiative for responding to redundancy, Partnership Action for continuing employment [Pace].

“through Pace, we will provide support for employees to minimise the time those individuals affected by redundancy are out of work.”

the Paisley plant produces about 18,000 tonnes of pigment annually, of which 80 per cent is exported. BASF said on its website that the site, acquired in 2009, has “very strong links” with the local community.