A Labour MSP has called for the one of the UK’s biggest ports to be nationalised amid concerns about workers rights and the environment.
Left-winger Katy Clark said Peel Ports Group, which has a substantial presence in Scotland, should be brought into public ownership.
Part of a vast UK-wide network, the firm has ports in Glasgow, Greenock, Hunterston and Ardrossan which it says act as the nation’s “gateway to Ireland and transatlantic Americas as well as European hubs”.
Peel is also the controlling Port Authority for 450 square miles of the River Clyde and more than 15.4 million tonnes of cargo are processed every year.
However Clark, who was recently elected as an MSP for West of Scotland, has concerns about the private company’s impact.
She said: "There are serious concerns in the local community about the berths given to these giant drill ships, which are so close to where people live and many complaints about the generators running 24 hours every day.
"At the same time there have been serious issues have been raised by trade unions about the employment conditions of foreign workers on the ships and by environmental groups about the impact on wildlife at a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
"The owner of Peel Ports has also made substantial profits and dividends, against the backdrop of these controversies.
She added: "Peel Ports has significant maritime and port safety responsibilities, and it’s right that this should be brought into public ownership, which would ensure that any decisions about this key part of the economy are made in the public interest."
Clark will table a motion at Holyrood which elaborates on her concerns.
Port director Jim McSporran responded: “Peel Ports is proud to provide hundreds of skilled jobs for people in Scotland, helping to support thousands more in the wider economy. We’re heavily regulated by multiple organisations and take our responsibilities as a good neighbour very seriously.
“Hunterston has served the community of North Ayrshire for more than 50 years. We have now embarked on an ambitious new stage for the facility, supporting Scotland’s green economy and net zero ambitions, and creating jobs for local people.”
He added: “The employment conditions on board vessels are not a matter for any port and are overseen by other organisations.
“The SSSI has existed for many years, including during the time when the port was fully operational, and no-one has yet provided any evidence to back up allegations of environmental harm.”
Clark is also a peer who has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords. She used to work in former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's office.
