Aerospace Firm's Move Met With Anger

Rolls-Royce's decision to pull-out of a Scottish town after 60 years has been met with anger in the area, the Herald newspaper has reported.

The company announced yesterday that it would transfer all 600 staff from its East Kilbride plant to an £85m site near Glasgow Airport within the next three years.

But South Lanarkshire politicians warned the decision would damage East Kilbride's economy.

The South Lanarkshire site has been a major employer in the area since it was built, to service fighter jet engines used on British planes in the Korean war.


And while Rolls-Royce said the decision would safeguard jobs for the future, the Labour MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow said he was extremely angry at the closure of the site.

Michael McCann said: "Rolls-Royce is part of the fabric of our town and, most importantly, generations of families from East Kilbride have provided the workforce that has made a such huge contribution to the company's success.

He said: "Rolls-Royce is part of the fabric of our town and, most importantly, generations of families from East Kilbride have provided the workforce that has made a such huge contribution to the company's success.

"I know that every member of the workforce will be as furious as I am.

"East Kilbride has backed Rolls-Royce but it appears that Rolls-Royce doesn't want to back East Kilbride."

East Kilbride MSP Linda Fabiani said commuting to Inchinnan would be difficult for some workers and the company should make sure the move was "logistically possible".

(NE/GK)