During a visit to the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow today, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps highlighted the potential economic risks of Scottish independence on the UK’s military shipbuilding industry.
Myself and other journalists were invited to tag along and ask questions – By George Allison
Speaking to Shapps in the ‘Robert Napier Building’, an office block within the shipyard, under the bow of massive Type 26 frigate HMS Cardiff, I sought clarification on the future of the shipyard both as part of the UK and outside of the UK.
I asked, “So, we’re sitting in front of the second of eight Type 26 Frigates. Now, once that programme is done, can Scottish builders count on future work on Type 83 or Type 32, and with Scottish independence once again a talking point, will this workforce come to Scotland from the UK Government if Scotland were to be independent?”
In his response, Shapps began by acknowledging the current state of shipbuilding in Glasgow, “This is a magnificent Type 26, HMS Cardiff, out the window behind us and I have just been having a look around some of the new build technology and the approach to building, it is fantastic.”
Shapps added, “I’ve actually just also come back from Australia a month or two ago, and the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide where they are building their Hunter version of the Type 26 and there’s a shed here called the Osborne, or location, where they’re learning backwards and bringing it in, some of the skills they’ve learned, into this programme here. So it’s already massive international collaboration, not just the Australians, but the Canadians too. Of course, we know there’s potentially other export markets as well or joint endeavours and joint ventures.”
Answering the question of whether Scottish shipyards can expect more work, Shapps told me, “So, I think my sense is, a really bright future for this shipyard and others in Scotland, sadly, all of which will be put at risk by some of the Scottish nationalist rhetoric, which seems to think that the 25,000 jobs which come from those who both work in the UK military, and are Scottish, and also who work in the industry.”
Turning to the broader implications for employment and economic investment, Shapps warned, “25,000 jobs a year in Scotland would be put at risk, 2 billion pounds and growing each year spent by the MOD building these types of things would be put at risk.”
READ THE FULL STORY:- https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/independence-rhetoric-risks-shipbuilding-in-scotland/
Copyright and all rights reserved – UK Defence Journal
Lt Col Stuart Crawford is a defence analyst and former army officer. Sign up for his podcasts and newsletters at www.DefenceReview.uk
Lt Col Stuart Crawford’s latest book Tank Commander (Hardback) is available now
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