LABOUR have been presented with a "hospitality season ticket” for Manchester United after pledging £1 billion to INEOS chairman Jim Ratcliffe to redevelop Old Trafford while he closes the refinery.
Kenny MacAskill, Alba Party acting leader, former MP Neale Hanvey and independent Falkirk councillor Brian McCabe, displayed a large Manchester United “Hospitality Season ticket” outside of the Scotland Office at Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh this morning.
Ian Murray was specifically named as the recipient, and it stated "paid for by Grangemouth".
The ticket was to symbolise the UK Government's decision to choose to provide a £600 million loan guarantee to Ineos in Antwerp, Belgium and the investment in Manchester United.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given her backing to Ratcliffe, who part-owns Grangemouth, for a multi-billion pound revamp of Manchester United’s stadium and surrounding area.
Days after the pledge was made, workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery near Falkirk were then handed redundancy notices by Petroineos, a joint venture between Ratcliffe's firm and PetroChina, days later.
It is expected that more than 400 jobs will be lost.
Speaking to media at the protest, MacAskill said: “The Labour Party promised during the General Election that they would save Grangemouth Refinery and secure the jobs of those who work at the plant.
“Ian Murray and co at the Scotland Office have sat back and allowed the deindustrialisation of Scotland to unfold in front of their eyes.
“How can it be that there is money for an Ineos plant in Antwerp and for one of the richest football clubs in the world but none for the cornerstone of Scotland’s industrial base?
He added: “Any notion that a few years down the line we’ll be able to open a plant producing aviation fuel or anything else like that is for the birds. Once these jobs are gone, they’re gone for good.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “We took immediate action following Petroineos’ confirmation on the closure of Grangemouth.
“Before July, there was no overall plan for the future of the Grangemouth refinery. Within weeks, we worked with the Scottish Government to put together an unprecedented £100m package to support the community and invest in the local workforce, along with tailored support to help those affected find good, alternative jobs.
“We are also jointly funding Project Willow with £1.5m, which is urgently engaging with trade unions and developing options for a sustainable industrial future at the site.”
The refinery, which was one of only two in Europe, could close as soon as May – just three months from now.
Ratcliffe's project could receive £1bn of taxpayer money to create housing and transport infrastructure including the possible relocation of an entire cargo rail network.
