The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has come under pressure to secure a clear timetable from her Cabinet colleagues at Westminster for work to begin on new warships on the Clyde amid concerns that delays could cost jobs.
Ruth Davidson has been urged by the SNP and Labour to use her position to push UK ministers to begin work imminently.
Unions fear the manufacture of eight Type 26 frigates at the BAE yards could be delayed by up to 12 months, at a cost of about 800 jobs.
Defence Minister Philip Dunne has said construction is “on track” and “nothing has changed” since last November when the Government announced it would reduce the number of frigates from 13 to eight.
He accused the Conservatives’ opponents of making political capital over a “routine meeting” between BAE and the unions ahead of the Scottish election next week.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale have both visited the Clyde yards to listen to workers’ concerns.
Bill Kidd, SNP candidate for Anniesland, said: “The Tories in parliament and the Tory leader in Scotland both failed to answer the key question yesterday. Will they guarantee that there will be no more redundancies at the Clyde yards?
“With real concerns being raised about the timing of the frigates, the availability of other work and the review of shipbuilding, workers deserve a clear and unequivocal commitment that there will be no redundancies on the Clyde.
Humza Yousaf, SNP candidate for Pollok, said: “Instead of rumours workers deserve clear answers.
“The Ministry of Defence dodged the question yesterday and Labour seemed more interested in re-fighting the referendum than making the case for the workforce.
“There are real fears that the review of shipbuilding is simply a Treasury plan to cut back spending at the shipyards on the Clyde.
“The Tories must confirm that there will be no job losses on the Clyde.”
Ms Dugdale said: “Anything less than the promised contracts, delivered on time, for the Type 26 frigates and the upgrade to the facilities on the Clyde will not meet the promise that the UK Tory Government made to the men and women who work here.
“It’s no good the Tories saying that the ships are coming to the Clyde. This isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when.
“Ruth Davidson has to use her position to push Tory ministers to get these ships built with no delay, not simply defend every position they take.”
