Latest news with #Sarwar
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Swinney did ‘nothing' to save bus jobs says Sarwar
Mr Sarwar cited a letter from August 2024 — first disclosed in The Herald — in which Paul Soubry, president and chief executive of Alexander Dennis's parent company NFI Group, wrote directly to the SNP leader warning that the Government's procurement decisions risked undermining Scotland's domestic bus manufacturing industry. READ MORE The company has since proposed consolidating its manufacturing operations in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, putting around 400 jobs at risk in Falkirk and Larbert. 'John Swinney received a letter almost a year ago directly from the company,' Mr Sarwar told MSPs, 'setting out how his decision to buy buses from China instead of from Scotland was putting the company and jobs at risk.' 'He did nothing for the skilled workforce. But last week, as usual, he tried to find someone else to blame for his own failure by talking about UK procurement laws — laws that did not stop Andy Burnham buying Scottish buses, but somehow stop this SNP Scottish Government.' Mr Swinney rejected the accusation, insisting the Scottish Government had taken action following the August letter, including setting up work between the firm and Scottish Enterprise. He said ministers had maintained a 'positive dialogue' with Alexander Dennis, which had 'expressed appreciation' for Government support, including £58 million in zero-emission bus funding. 'We established work for Scottish Enterprise with the company to support the company in securing its future,' he said. 'That work was taken forward as a consequence of that dialogue.' But critics said the scale of the support did not match the urgency of the warning from Mr Soubry, who in his letter expressed 'regret' that Scottish Government decisions had left the firm feeling it had 'no choice but to reconsider our entire investment in the Scottish operations of Alexander Dennis'. The Scottish Labour leader also pointed to procurement data showing that since receiving the letter, the Scottish Government had not ordered a single bus from Alexander Dennis, while Greater Manchester — operating under the same UK legal framework — had placed significantly more orders. In a new letter from UK Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden to Mr Sarwar, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster acknowledged that while UK subsidy rules prevent tying grants to domestic purchases, there is nothing to stop governments awarding subsidies directly to manufacturers such as Alexander Dennis. (Image: Cabinet Office) He also said the Scottish Government could use the Crown Commercial Service framework — where Alexander Dennis is already a supplier — to apply social value criteria favouring local industry or to issue a direct award. Under the new Procurement Act, bids from countries such as China, which are not party to UK trade agreements, can also be lawfully disregarded. Mr McFadden wrote: 'The Subsidy Control Act does not prevent manufacturers, such as Alexander Dennis, receiving subsidies directly and this remains an open, and viable, option for the Scottish Government.' He added that the Procurement Act 'allows contracting authorities to disregard bids from non-treaty state suppliers, which includes countries like China'. Alexander Dennis has argued that Scottish Government policy failed to align with its own just transition principles, noting that 83% of orders under the second phase of the Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB2) went to manufacturers in China and Egypt. The company received just 17% of the 252-bus order, despite its long-standing presence in Falkirk and years of support from Scottish Enterprise. Andrew Learmonth Kathleen Nutt; Hannah Brown; Rebecca McCurdy Deborah Anderson; Catherine Salmond undefined 60% of recipients have opened this mail. undefined Hello, Can we start adding this source code to the bottom of every politics article? It will bring up an advert and a link to Unspun Live. To add it you need to click this button on Martini. That will take you into HTML mode. And then scroll down to the bottom of the article and then copy and paste the code below. If you click on the source button again you should be able to see if it's worked. @Deborah Anderson Can we get colleagues to do this when they're working on politics tales?
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
John Swinney tears into 'weak man' Anas Sarwar at FMQs
After asking two questions about bus maker Alexander Dennis planning to move its operations to England, Sarwar swiftly moved on to talk about an alleged secret meeting of SNP figures which reportedly focused on ousting Swinney as leader following a key by-election loss. Sarwar accused Swinney of pressing the "big panic independence button" to "save his skin", after the First Minister made a speech on his desire for self-determination this week. Swinney described Sarwar's attacks as a "the performance of a weak man" in Parliament. He said: "Isn't it interesting that Mr Sarwar's interest in the workers of Alexander Dennis lasted two questions and then he gets on to his usual posturing in this Parliament of little substance that is before us. Watch as John Swinney call Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar a 'weak man' following a fiery exchange at FMQs 🔥 🗣️ 'He's toadying behind the Labour leader in the United Kingdom' — The National (@ScotNational) June 19, 2025 "That's the performance of a weak man in front of Parliament today. 'I'll tell Mr Sarwar what I've been doing this week – presiding over a government that's delivered for the 10th year in a row Scotland at the top of the list of inward investment successes in the United Kingdom other than London and the South East. "We've seen a rise in positive destinations for school leavers. We have confirmed this week that we will scrap the two-child cap, ensuring 20,000 children will be lifted out of poverty. "In the same week as we commit ourselves to lifting the two-child cap, Anas Sarwar is toadying in behind the Labour leader in the United Kingdom to send 50,000 children into poverty with a welfare reform bill. 'Scotland can see that Anas Sarwar is linked to a UK Labour government that will put more children into poverty, while my Government will lift children out of poverty. That's the Scottish Government delivering for our people.' More to follow.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Anas Sarwar urged to whip Scottish Labour MPs against welfare cuts
The Scottish Labour leader faces calls from the SNP to outline whether he will force his MPs to oppose the measures in the UK Government's welfare bill which was published on Wednesday. According to the UK Government's own analysis, changes to Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit will plunge 250,000 people into poverty – including 50,000 children. Labour have faced accusations they are balancing the nation's books 'on the backs of the poorest in society' but Sarwar has defended the plans. READ MORE: Stephen Flynn in spat with Labour MP on disability cuts He previously told The Scotsman: 'Even with these changes that are being announced, welfare spending is projected to go up across the UK and go up in Scotland. That is not austerity, it is the very opposite of austerity.' But the changes remain controversial, with The Guardian reporting earlier this week that Government officials have admitted privately that framing the cuts in financial terms was a mistake, after initially announcing the cuts would save £5 billion. (Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire) Collette Stevenson, the SNP MSP for East Kilbride, said: 'Labour's planned disability cuts are a shameful imitation of Tory austerity measures that Labour promised to end. It is appalling that Keir Starmer is happy to continue Tory cuts that will plunge hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people into poverty. 'Anas Sarwar must come clean: will he instruct his MPs back these brutal cuts, or will he finally stand up for Scotland's most vulnerable?' READ MORE: EasyJet flight bound for Scottish airport declares mid-air emergency She highlighted past comments from Sarwar, in which the Scottish Labour leader 'promised to stand up to Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland's interest' but added that he had 'failed to do so'. Stevenson added: 'Voters deserve to know where Scottish Labour stands on the latest round of austerity from Westminster. 'The SNP will fight these cuts every step of the way and continue to push for the full powers of independence to build a fairer, more compassionate Scotland.' Scottish Labour were approached for comment.
STV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- STV News
Swinney: 'Independence is the defining choice for this generation'
The First Minister has said independence is the 'defining choice for this generation' of Scots, adding Scotland should have right to choose its future. Speaking at a Scotland 2050 conference in Edinburgh on Tuesday, John Swinney took the opportunity to make the case for Scottish independence – something his Alba party opponents previously accused him of putting on the backburner. Looking 25 years into the future, Swinney said: 'It's only, in my view, by taking charge of our own destiny, with our own hand on the tiller that we're better able to ride the waves of change, that we're better able to shape our own future.' The First Minister hoped to see a 'modern, dynamic, compassionate, enterprising and forward looking' Scottish nation state 'back at the very heart of Europe' by 2050. Swinney said Scotland is 'prey to a broken system and a failing economic model' that holds Scotland back and leaves people 'praying that decisions taken at Westminster are not too damaging'. 'I've long believed that Scotland is an afterthought to successive UK governments, Scotland is not on Westminster's radar in the same way as, say, London or the Midlands or the south west,' Swinney said. 'From a UK perspective, that is completely understandable, but from a Scottish perspective, to accept it is total folly.' He added: 'It means as a nation that we must try to thrive on what amounts at worst to poison pills and at best to policy scraps from the UK table,' he said. The First Minister told the conference that he believes Scotland should have the right to choose its future. 'Whether it is Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, or Nigel Farage, no Westminster politician should have the ability to deny Scotland her right to national self determination,' Swinney said. However, Alba Party leader Kenny MacAskill criticised Swinney's speech for missing the mark. 'What we needed and what SNP activists, members and supporters are crying out for was a clear vision and action on independence what we got from the First Minister was a 'damp squib',' MacAskill said afterwards. The same Scotland 2050 conference was later addressed by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Sarwar used his speech as a pitch for his party ahead of next year's election. 'If I'm being blunt about it, tinkering around the edges is not going to work,' he said. Sarwar added that next year's election being treated as an 'auction' is also not going to work. 'One political party will offer you 1,000 nurses, another will offer you 1,100 nurses, or one party will offer you 1,000 nurses and another will offer you 1,000 police officers, another one will say 1,100 police officers,' he said. 'That is not going to fix the challenges facing our country right now and it's not going to build the kind of Scotland we need for our children and our grandchildren.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Anas Sarwar pledges to back local businesses as First Minister as bus firm set to leave Scotland
SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Labour leader will join mayors of some of the UK's biggest cities to try and create a contracts pipeline for domestic firms. ANAS Sarwar has pledged to prioritise local companies if he becomes First Minister in the wake of the collapse of a Scottish bus firm. The Scottish Labour leader is planning a major transport summit with some of the UK's mayoral heavyweights to discuss how to protect domestic manufacturers. It comes after Larbert bus firm Alexander Dennis announced last week it was putting 400 jobs at risk and is preparing to move its operations to one site in England. Sarwar accused the Scottish Government of failing to invest in Scottish firms and opting instead to buy from overseas companies in places like China, Turkey and Poland. This summer he is planning a major meeting with Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham and the mayors of West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and North East England to discuss how to give firms like Alexander Dennis greater stability. The First Minister will also be invited. Sarwar said: 'I won't sit back while jobs are under threat at Alexander Dennis in Larbert. 'I've called this summit to look at how we secure more work for domestic manufacturers but I also want to learn from Mayors like Andy Burnham who has already ensured that contracts go to Scottish and British firms. 'It's frankly a scandal that the Mayor of Greater Manchester has managed to buy almost four times as many buses from Scotland as the SNP Scottish Government. 'A future Scottish Labour Government will make sure that Scottish workers are put first. 'While the SNP fail Scottish manufacturing, Scottish Labour will stand up for workers and businesses here.' Alexander Dennis previously said it was considering moving manufacturing to a site in Scarborough and stop work at its Falkirk site. Operations at its second Scottish base in Larbert would also be closed after current contracts are finished. Paul Davies, the company's president, said the firm was facing strong competition from Chinese electric bus makers and said current UK policies didn't incentivise firms to provide local jobs. A consultation is now being launched which puts up to 400 jobs at risk of redundancy - 22 per cent of the company's 1850-strong workforce. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he had invested in 160 buses from the firm for his city's Bee Network public transport system - almost four times the number of vehicles bought by the Scottish Government, according to Alexander Dennis. He said: 'I'm proud that Greater Manchester has invested in Scottish and British manufacturing as we've built the Bee Network. 'The workforce at Alexander Dennis in Larbert are outstanding and the buses they've built for our city-region are the core of the Bee Network. 'Following the Chancellor's Spending Review, we now have an opportunity, as mayors, to maximise the funding we've secured and create a pipeline of work for companies here. 'This summit convened by Anas Sarwar is a key opportunity for mayors and Scottish Labour to work together, looking at how we can all provide greater certainty for our domestic manufacturers and workers like those at Alexander Dennis.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham recently ordered 58 electric vehicles from Alexander Dennis while South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard, Mayor of North East England, Kim McGuinness and West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin are set to buy hundreds of buses in the coming years after a cash boost from the Treasury. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of transport funding for mayoral authorities in last week's Spending Review, with around £1.5bn expected for the Scottish Government. Sarwar hopes the funds can be used to benefit domestic firms and the UK economy by creating a coordinated stream of contracts from some of the biggest cities rather than having contracts go overseas. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: 'I have pledged to make the North East bus fleet fully electric as soon as possible as part of my plans to bring buses back under public control. 'I would love to buy buses from Scottish and UK-based manufacturers. It makes no sense to have to go abroad for green technology when we already have the skills and capacity just over the border in Scotland.' Rotherham said Sarwar's summit was 'the kind of united, people-powered leadership needed to safeguard jobs at Alexander Dennis'. He said: 'This gives us the chance to pool our buying power, create a clear pipeline of work for an outstanding Scottish workforce and their supply chains, and underpin greener, more affordable transport networks that communities can rely on.'
