Work to secure Grangemouth future ‘needs to happen at pace’, says Sarwar

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Work must be carried out “at pace” to secure a future for Grangemouth, the Scottish Labour leader has said after the Prime Minister announced £200 million of funding for the site. It is hoped the £200 million from the National Wealth Fund could bring in a further £600 million from the private sector which Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said would be “transformative”. “I’ll be working flat out to do that as well.” First Minister John Swinney last week pledged a further £25 million to secure a “just transition” for Grangemouth and called on the UK Government to match the Scottish Government’s funding. He is not on the same political side as me, but even he credited the fact that a UK Labour government as well as the Scottish Government has tried to avert the closure of the refinery, but there has been a level of intransigence from the company.” Iain Hardie, regional head of legal and external affairs at Petroineos, said: “For several years, we told politicians and officials repeatedly that the refinery would likely close and that a sensible transition plan would need to be developed.