HMG should support both English and Scots jobs

The merger document between Lloyds TSB and HBOS included a pledge to 'keep jobs in Scotland', as well as stating that its 'management focus' would be on saving as many posts north of the Border.

According to both the blogosphere and some of the MSM such as the Telegraph (see here,) this was partly the result of pressure from the government. To quote from the telegraph article,

"The Chancellor pleaded with the bosses of the new super-bank, formed when Lloyds TSB completed its emergency takeover of HBOS, to save as many posts as possible north of the Border.

Similarly he admitted making 'very clear' that HBOS's headquarters should remain in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital for which he is an MP."

I do not for a moment suggest that the government should not have tried to limit the impact of job losses, but they need to ensure that support for jobs is done on an even-handed basis. There are plenty of parts of England and Wales where the economic situation is just as bad as it is in Scotland.

The government at Westminster is responsible for looking after the interests of the whole of the UK. It should seek to protect jobs in Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If there is any truth in the inference that the government has given a higher priority to saving jobs in Scotland over those in England and Wales, the consequences for those areas of Britain which are given less support, and indeed for the future of the United Kingdom, could be serious.

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