Douglas Chapman has thrown down the gauntlet to the Prime Minister to visit Rosyth dockyard.
The SNP Dunfermline and West Fife politician has formally asked Theresa May to visit his constituency so she can see for herself the workers building the second Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and consider what other contracts might be awarded to the Rosyth workforce.
It comes on the back of an exchange during Prime Minister’s Questions last month when Mr Chapman asked her to explain why she had denied the staff work when hundreds were being made redundant.
He challenged her to “do the right thing” over £1 billion shipbuilding contracts, calling the decision to put the contracts out to international tender, potentially denying Scots yard work, “a Tory betrayal”.
Mr Chapman said: “The PMQ I asked hit the headlines but to date there has been no response from Mrs May’s office regarding a visit.
“I really do think she needs to see first-hand the true skills of our workforce here in west Fife and we also want to take the opportunity of making sure that when other contracts are up for offer, the Westminster Government in London knows exactly what our Scottish workforce can achieve within time and within budget.
“Since the PMQ was asked we’ve also had published the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions’ report on the fleet support ship contracts which, if Westminster gets it way, will be awarded to a foreign yard.
“We really need the Prime Minister to tell the workforce here that while they are being paid off, her government is awarding naval ship contracts outside these islands.”
Mr Chapman has told the Prime Minister the confederation’s report “echoed the sentiment” he had about the impact of the contract going to a foreign competitor.
“As the CSEU report points out, ensuring the FSS ships are built in the UK is a win-win for everyone.
“It would generate new jobs, support the retention of existing skills and bolster the future of the shipbuilding industry in this country.
“It is therefore imperative that the contract is tendered only to UK yards and is not opened up to foreign competition.”
