Gregor Poynton

It is a pleasure to speak in this important debate on Scotland’s economy. Scotland once led the world in economic and industrial development. Alongside other parts of the UK, Scotland was the home of the global industrial revolution. However, Scotland’s economic present is not, I am afraid, as glorious as its past. The economic legacy of both the SNP and Conservative Governments has been dismal. We now face a stalled economy that no longer works for working people. Wages are flatlining, there are fewer opportunities, businesses have been ignored and our global competitiveness is in decline. Both the SNP and Tory Governments have delivered little but chaos and uncertainty. Scotland’s economy has not been well served in recent years. I am here to say, however, that Scotland’s economy can be better and can work for working people. We have incredible strengths: we are home to some of the best businesses in the world, to a talented and skilled workforce, and to leading universities at the forefront of human knowledge. We have huge potential in our natural resources as well, especially in a world where inclement weather can be seen as an economic asset. In West Lothian, we have a fantastic set of businesses and an incredibly skilled workforce, including multi- nationals, indigenous scale-ups and early-stage start-ups. The modern West Lothian economy has been built on a diverse range of sectors: life sciences, engineering, construction, food and drink, distribution, aerospace, retail, software development and renewables. In the Livingston constituency, we are the long-term home for many of the world’s greatest companies, including Sky, Mitsubishi, Glenmorangie, Valneva and many more. I thank the Secretary of State for Scotland, the ministerial teams, and the teams at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade for their support around the potential job losses at Mitsubishi Electric. I also thank Tom Arthur, the Scottish Government Minister for Employment and Investment, for his swift action to support the workforce there. They are skilled workers who are facing redundancy as a result of short-term economic pressures. The decisions that lie ahead of us to grow Scotland’s economy will not always be easy, but taking the right choices to grow our economy and drive investment will create good jobs and new opportunities in every part of the country. That is the country we wish to build together.