Commenting on the story on the BBC that the government is poised to give the go-ahead for the building of two aircraft carriers, built in sections at a number of yards including BAE's Govan facility on the Clyde with final assembly at Rosyth, the Scottish National Party’s Deputy Leader and Govan candidate Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:

“The Scottish yards rank among the finest, and the orders, which are extremely welcome, are secured by the skills, expertise and efficiency of the workforce and management.

“The Government are clearly desperate to announce these orders now, which shows how panicked they are by the SNP, and illustrates the influence the SNP have in protecting and promoting Scotland’s interests.  London only pays attention to Scotland when Scotland backs the SNP.

“Indeed, Martin Sixsmith – who was communications director at GEC in 1999 – revealed that the only reason the Govan yard was saved in ‘99 was because Labour were running scared of the SNP.”