Senior SNP politicians in Dundee have pointed out that 80% of jobs on the waterfront redevelopment are held by people from in and around the city.
They were responding to Labour’s call at the weekend for the Nationalists at local and national levels to do more to cut the city’s lengthening dole queue and get more Dundee people into work.
Labour’s call was prompted by last week’s bad news of prominent city construction company WH Brown entering receivership with the loss of over 140 jobs.
The health of the construction trade significantly affects the rest of an area’s economy, and Labour went on to issue a five-point plan for action.
An immediate start to construction of schools and other infrastructure was called for, along with a guarantee that procurement plans will benefit local jobs.
Labour also demanded the SNP ”come clean” on the status of renewables jobs for the city, give Dundee priority for new infrastructrure funds and produce an urgent plan for growth and employment in the city.
City SNP administration leader Ken Guild dismissed Labour demands as ”a simplistic wish list,” and on Monday his Holyrood and Westminster colleagues reinforced their party’s position.
They also praised the efforts of what they called ”Team Dundee” to boost the local economy and bring jobs to the city.
Dundee East SNP MP Stewart Hosie said: ”We welcome the debate on Dundee’s economic future and welcome the news that 80% of the jobs in the current phase of the waterfront development have been won by local people.
”It’s worth remembering that the council and Scottish Government are trying to grow the local and Scottish economies in the teeth of a ‘made-in-Westminster’ double-dip recession.
”Of course, it’s right to be concerned about recent job losses and unemployment standing at 6.5% across the city. That is why SNP politicians locally and nationally are stretching every sinew to avoid a return to the bad old days of the 1980s when unemployment in Dundee reached 15.5% and almost one-in-five men were out of a job.
”It is clear that there is a comprehensive plan for the city and the SNP is getting on with the job of moving Dundee forward.”
He said Team Dundee involves the council, Scottish Enterprise, the V&A project, both universities and Dundee College, along with many private sector employers trying to weather the difficult economic climate and seize new opportunities for the city.
He added: ”There is a sense of purpose in the city like we have never seen before, with everyone pulling in the same direction. It is sad that Labour are merely sniping from the sidelines and undermining these efforts.
”It’s really time they got on board with Team Dundee and stopped talking the city down.”
Shona Robison MSP added: ”The hard efforts of Team Dundee have ensured that every penny that can be is being spent on boosting local infrastructure with the council investing £320 million on capital projects, including £31 million on rebuilding Harris Academy.”