Shipbuilding on the Clyde

Ian Blackford Excerpts
Monday 25th April 2016

(8 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. After a little time to simmer down, I hope that the hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford) has now acquired the poise, gravitas and serenity to which he should aspire.

Ian Blackford Portrait Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP)
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Thank you, Mr Speaker, but perhaps, like the workers on the Clyde, we on the Scottish National party Benches are beginning gently to simmer. I reflect on the Minister’s words: he said that the demonstration phase is now going to continue to June 2017. Is the cat not now out of the bag—he is putting back the construction process? Why does he not give a guarantee to the workforce that their jobs are safe? We can all now reflect on what Better Together meant—duping the people of Scotland once again.

Philip Dunne Portrait Mr Dunne
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I am not sure that the simmering has really calmed the hon. Gentleman down. As I have said, we have made a clear commitment to build eight Type 26s on the Clyde, providing high-quality jobs. That would not have been the case had the people of Scotland voted for independence.