Backing Scottish Businesses

Anas Sarwar will today accuse the SNP of selling out Scottish industry and pledge that a Scottish Labour government will use public contracts to back Scottish jobs, Scottish businesses and Scottish communities.

Setting out plans to build and buy more in Scotland, Mr Sarwar will say Scotland needs change after 20 years of SNP government and that a Scottish Labour government will fix the mess, get the basics right and build a better future for Scotland.

After two decades in power, the SNP has failed to use the power of government spending to support Scottish industry. Instead of backing jobs and skills at home, Ministers have too often sent work and investment abroad while Scottish yards, factories and firms lose out.

From buses built in China while Scottish manufacturers struggle, to ferries built overseas while Scottish shipyards go without, Mr Sarwar will say the SNP has no serious industrial strategy and no serious plan to back Scottish workers.

Scottish Labour will turn that around by reforming procurement so public money delivers public good and helps create jobs here in Scotland. The party will embed social and economic value in public contracts, establish a long-term procurement plan for shipbuilding, expand innovation support for Scottish firms, revamp business support and training for SMEs bidding for contracts, and improve data on local procurement so ministers can no longer hide where public money is going.

Mr Sarwar will say this approach is about far more than ferries and buses. It is about whether Scotland builds its future at home, from wind turbines and trains to manufacturing and construction, or continues to watch work, wages and opportunity shipped elsewhere.

Commenting, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said:

“Scotland needs change after 20 years of SNP government.

“The SNP has failed Scottish industry and sold out Scottish workers.

“After all their rhetoric, too often they have waved through contracts that send Scottish jobs, Scottish wages and Scottish opportunity out of the country.

“That is a political choice, and Scotland is paying the price.

“I’m standing to fix the mess, get the basics right, and build a better future for Scotland.

“A Scottish Labour government will build and buy more in Scotland so public money backs Scottish jobs, Scottish businesses and Scottish communities.

“That means changing the rules so public contracts deliver real social and economic value, giving Scottish firms certainty about future work and helping more businesses here win and deliver public contracts.

“We need a proper industrial strategy so we build more of our ferries, buses, trains, wind turbines and vital infrastructure here in Scotland.

“Under the SNP, Scotland has been weaker because ministers have failed to back our own workers and industries.

“On May 7, vote Scottish Labour on both votes for the change Scotland needs.”