BAE Systems shipyards: Shipbuilding 'to stop' at Portsmouth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-west-24831779

The announcement on job cuts at BAE's shipbuilding yards on the Clyde and the south coast of England is now likely to be made on Wednesday morning.
It is understood shipbuilding at Portsmouth will stop.
The company may cut more than 1,000 jobs in total between Portsmouth and the Govan and Scotstoun yards in Glasgow.
It is thought Govan will not close. An announcement had originally been expected on Thursday.

Depressing! It's hard not to see it as a political move.

[denphone]

Indeed you have summed it up perfectly because in my opinion the vast majority of these job losses will be in Portsmouth and we all know why that is as politicians use political expediency which is adherence to their own self-serving means .

[Derek]

If, and it's a very big if, Scotland does have a collective bout of madness next year and votes yes that will put a big question mark over the future of the navy in England, Wales and N.I. as they'll need to either buy ships from Scotland or abroad and find a new home for the nuclear deterrent.

[Osem]

... and that'll mean more jobs in England - cheers Alex.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Osem

... and that'll mean more jobs in England - cheers Alex.

It'll mean a HUGE bill to create a suitable base for nuclear subs and another huge bill to retrain and re-equip a suitable workforce to built modern warships.

Plus as far as I know current navy bases are too close to major population centres to be refitted as suitable homes for nuclear subs so a new bases would have to be built plus a replacement for Coulport to store the warheads.

All in the kind of expense that might well make a nuclear deterrent too expensive to maintain.

[Osem]

All major works come with a huge bill and lots of jobs too. I don't think the Scots are stupid enough to buy into Salmond's rhetoric and they'd hate to be without the English to blame for all their ills...

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/def...risk-1-5654099

A local take on the announcement.

---------- Post added at 12:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 ----------

However! An further announcement.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/def...outh-1-5652792

A MULTI-MILLION pound package of measures could be put in place to offset the effects of shipbuilding being axed in Portsmouth, The News can reveal.
Portsmouth City Council could be given more than £200m to unlock land owned by the Ministry of Defence at Tipner and at Horsea Land.
The plots could be used to build thousands of new homes and create businesses attracting thousands of new jobs.
A board of maritime experts could be hired and their expertise would be used to help transform the yard.

Mind the important word is 'could'.

Ah Mr Cameron has said it will be so in the Commons PMQs

[Osem]

I just hope that all the expertise there isn't going to be lost in one way or another. Building houses for more people is one thing but we really need to stop losing the industries which employ them when the houses are built.

[richard s]

You can build as many houses as you like... but if there are no jobs... who's going to buy and live in them!!

[Hom3r]

If Scotland did split the new ship would be built in England, and NOT Scotland.

[data0002]

They have given Glasgow 3 new ships to build, why not just 2 to them and 1 to Portsmouth, sorted, untill they know what's going on

[richard s]

What a disgrace this country has become. The powers that be could have got work of a different nature for the docks e.g. repair or build (not even military orders) new ships.
I am so sorry for the skilled lads and ladies in Portsmouth and Scotland who will loose their jobs. Lord Nelson now has two eye patches.

Originally Posted by Osem

I just hope that all the expertise there isn't going to be lost in one way or another. Building houses for more people is one thing but we really need to stop losing the industries which employ them when the houses are built.

That's what i was thinking closing a shipyard and replacing it with 200 houses and a retail center with people earning minimum wage is really an embarrassment for the workers and the country imo

[data0002]

well as and when they build the houes and retail center, i bet non of the worker will be from the portsmouth area anyway

[Arthurgray50@blu]

It just goes to prove what a disgraceful government we have.

They are closing down Portsmouth and moving it to Glasgow, and if this isn't political l dont know what is.

Even the first sea lord has said its is all political.