THE Proclaimers have backed Alba’s campaign to “save Grangemouth” saying the town cannot suffer the fate of Scotland’s gutted former industrial heartlands.
Referencing the band’s 1987 hit Letter from America in a video recorded for Alba, Charlie Reid said: “It can’t be Grangemouth no more.”
As many as 400 jobs could be lost by the closure of the town’s oil refinery, the only one in Scotland and one of just six across the UK.
Alba deputy leader Kenny MacAskill (below) will attend an event in nearby Falkirk on Saturday along with Alex Salmond and party activists as party of their campaign to prevent the closure.
MacAskill said there was “there is no bigger challenge facing Scotland right now” than the closure of the refinery.
He added: “That is why Alba Party continue our campaign to save Grangemouth.
“Grangemouth is already profitable but by making the required investment, as called for by the workers and Unite the Union, that profitability would be increased three fold and the future of the refinery would be secured beyond 2025. This action will save the refinery, the 500 direct jobs and 2000 contractors jobs that depend on it.”
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The Proclaimers’ Letter From America contains the famous refrain: “Bathgate no more, Linwood, no more, Methil no more, Irvine no more”, referencing Scottish towns which had industrial centres decimated.
It is mirrored elsewhere in the song with the towns replaced with places decimated by the Highland Clearances.
The Reid brothers are supporters of Alba and have previously lent their voices to the party in other campaigns.
Alba are focusing a great deal of energy on Grangemouth in the run up to this year’s General Election.
They are yet to confirm whether they will stand a candidate in the newly-created Alloa and Grangemouth seat but earlier this month submitted a bid with the Electoral Commission to use the phrase “Alba Party: Save Grangemouth” on ballots and campaign materials.
If Alba do contest the seat, they will be running against incumbent SNP MP John Nicolson and Eva Comrie, who recently announced she was quitting the party.
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