Don't let 'hurly-burly' of Scottish Parliament election destroy collaboration, SNP ministers told

Rupert Soames, chair of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said Labour and the SNP must “walk on the same road to growth” to deliver investment.

He said Scotland could be the “catalyst for the UK’s growth”, with its enviable natural resources, world-class universities and highly educated workforce, but this would require “trust and collaboration”.

Mr Soames made the comments at the CBI’s annual dinner in Glasgow. Elsewhere, he praised the UK government for making growth a central mission, but criticised the National Insurance hike and forthcoming employment legislation.

“The CBI has devoted a huge amount of time to working through the detail of this legislation,” Mr Soames said on the latter. “We recognise that it was a central manifesto commitment.

“But it was not a manifesto commitment to significantly increase the risk to businesses of employing people, which we believe the legislation – as drafted – will do. We have not given up hope of persuading government that some of its terms should be amended.

“It is employers who make the offers of jobs and training that will get a million people off benefits and into work. If employing people – particularly those who are inexperienced or who have spotty CVs – becomes more likely to result in claims against a company in the first few months of employment, they will simply reduce the number of people they employ.”

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Mr Soames stressed the Scottish and UK governments must work together.

“In the words of the song, whether we take the high road, or the low road, the road to growth for the United Kingdom runs through Scotland,” he said.

“Throughout history Scotland has been a catalyst of the United Kingdom’s fortunes, whether it was the Scottish Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, or the prosperity brought by the North Sea.

“And now with BAE Systems’ £10 billion deal to build frigates – evidence, if any was needed, that world-class shipbuilding is not a tale of the past, but a promise of the future.

“Looking ahead, Scotland can be that catalyst for the UK’s growth again. Natural energy resources to make our competitors green with envy. World-class universities pushing the boundaries of knowledge and research. The best-educated workforce in the UK.

“But these advantages need good government to turn them into increasing growth and prosperity. To go down that road will take trust and collaboration between politicians and institutions; between Holyrood and Westminster; and between governments and business.

“These are serious times. And as we look ahead to the Scottish Parliament elections next year, the message from business is clear: please do not let the hurly-burly of an election destroy the close collaboration between the two governments that is needed to deliver investment.

“Politics is the art of the possible. But it is the task of great politicians, grown-up politicians, politicians of consequence, to make the necessary, possible. But it will need a fierce sense of urgency, an unwavering focus on getting infrastructure built and investment deployed.

“Governments north and south of the Border can disagree on many things, but they must make, and keep, common cause when it comes to building out the critical national infrastructure, which will drive growth and increase prosperity for Scotland and for the United Kingdom.”