Press green light on new jobs hope after Harland and Wolff administration blow

Shipbuilders Harland and Wolff announcing they are going into administration is another blow for Scotland. There are now fears over the future of the Belfast firm’s two Scottish fabrication yards, at Methil in Fife and Arnish on the Isle of Lewis.

The latest announcement is another setback for Scotland’s industrial future on the heels of other bad news for jobs and communities. Last week we found out the Grangemouth oil refinery will shut in 2025 and that 150 jobs are at risk at Falkirk bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis.

Now there is uncertainty over the Harland and Wolff jobs in Fife and the Western Isles. These yards support up to 400 jobs which must be central to talks about the company’s future. The Scottish and UK Governments must do all they can to establish exactly what lies ahead for the two Scottish sites.

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The latest setbacks all add up to a very uncertain time for Scotland’s industries. North Sea oil is fast disappearing, but there seems to be nothing immediately on the horizon to replace it.

We desperately need the green energy revolution which has promised to provide well-paid skilled jobs for Scotland’s workers. While many of our industries are laying people off, we are still waiting for progress on what comes next.

Labour has claimed creating a publicly-owned energy company will provide 53,000 jobs for Scots. GB Energy plans must make these new green jobs a reality rather than a pipe dream. They need to do so quickly. Scotland’s workers cannot afford to wait.

Flamingo canned

Flamingo Land’s bid to build a massive holiday resort on Loch Lomond’s shores is dead. It’s a huge victory for campaigners and residents opposed to this garish £40million plan that Loch Lomond park bosses yesterday finally kicked it into touch.

Local feeling was clear at a marathon six-hour session in Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, which heard from all sides in this long-running saga. The bid for a massive complex including two hotels, more than 100 woodland lodges, a water park, a monorail and more has long been considered too large for the area and a danger to its stunning environmental beauty.

Now we know the National Park resoundingly agrees. Board members voted 14-0 against Flamingo Land’s planning application in an emphatic defeat for developers.

That’s not to say Flamingo Land won’t come forward with some new scheme. They have a history of doing just that. But for now, locals can breathe a sigh of relief.

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