SNP presses Chancellor to release promised £200m for Grangemouth refinery
The SNP is urging Chancellor John Healey to allocate the £200 million pledged for Grangemouth before the upcoming Budget, as jobs at the site face further risk.
Ahead of the Budget, the SNP is demanding that Chancellor John Healey finally release the £200 million earmarked for Grangemouth’s industrial revitalisation. Martyn Day, the MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, said the money, announced in February last year, has not yet been spent, leaving the refinery and surrounding community vulnerable. The call intensifies after Syngenta announced a consultation to close its Grangemouth facility, putting roughly 400 jobs at risk.
Day criticised previous Labour promises and highlighted the contrast with large investments made in English industrial sites. Prime Minister Andy Burnham noted the potential for sustainable aviation fuel production at Grangemouth but stopped short of committing additional funds. The Treasury declined to comment on the timing of the release.
Why it matters
The funding decision will affect thousands of jobs and the economic future of a key Scottish industrial hub.
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