Labour hits out at broken promises on shipbuilding

Labour today led the fight in the House of Commons to protect jobs in the shipyards on the Clyde.

Following reports which emerged late last week of a delay to the Type 26 frigate construction programme, Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry MP, challenged the Government in an Urgent Question in the House of Commons, criticising the Government for its failure to provide assurances on the timetable and budget for the frigate programme, and to guarantee that no jobs will be lost because of the proposed delays.

She also criticised Defence Secretary Michael Fallon for sending his deputy, Philip Dunne, to respond to MPs’ questions.

Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Defence Secretary, said:

“The livelihoods of hundreds of families in Glasgow depend on a thriving British shipbuilding industry, and they will rightly feel angry and betrayed at today’s failure by the Tories to guarantee that their jobs will be protected.

“It adds insult to injury that the Defence Secretary himself did not come to Parliament in person to answer these questions. This is yet another broken promise from the Tory party.

“Only a British Labour government would be in a position to safeguard the future of Glasgow’s shipbuilding industry.“