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NICOLA STURGEON yesterday accused David Cameron of betrayal if he fails to keep his promise to protect the Clyde shipyards.

Speaking on the banks of the river, the SNP leader spoke out amid growing fears for a promised contract for Royal Navy frigates underpinning 800 jobs.

The GMB union has been told by employer BAE Systems that nearly a quarter of the workforce at the Govan and Scotstoun yards could go if the UK Government does not honour pledges to build eight Type 26 ships.

Shipbuilding was a key battleground in the Scottish independence debate, with Better Together warning jobs on the Clyde would vanish if there was a Yes vote.

But fears have been raised that the frigate project might now be delayed until 2017 and that some of the work may even be transferred to other yards.

The number of frigates planned has already been cut from 13 to eight.

Sturgeon said: “Workers were given a clear promise by the Tory Government and the Labour Party that they would build the frigates and that their jobs would be

protected.

“First the Tories cut the number of frigates and now we hear that they may delay or move the orders, putting jobs at risk. The promises made to the workers at the Clyde yards must be met.

“David Cameron must commit to delivering these contracts and ensuring jobs are protected at BAE on the Clyde.

“Workers in the yards should be treated with respect for their skills and experience, not betrayed with empty promises.”

The SNP leader added: “It would be an absolute betrayal if David Cameron was to go back on his promise now, and shows the folly of the Labour Party for signing up to Tory promises.

“The SNP in government has worked closely with BAE and the trade unions to support the yard and we will give them our full support over the coming months to ensure that the promises that were made are delivered.”

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Scottish Tory leader ​Ruth Davidson said she had been assured the orders were safe.

She said: “I spoke to the defence secretary this morning to seek reassurances

regarding orders to BAE systems on the Clyde.

“He confirmed the orders would go ahead as planned and as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in November.

“It’s important to monitor workforce issues at BAE between the winding down of work on the aircraft carriers and starting work on the Type 26 programme.

(Image: 2015 Getty Images)

“I expect everyone, BAE, unions and government, to endeavour to make the

transition between projects as smooth as possible and give the workforce the security they deserve.”

But unions believe the start of the contract will be delayed until 2017 and some of the work may not come to Scotland.

GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith said: “She either doesn’t understand or is being utterly disingenuous.

“I would suggest the latter because she is struggling in the election.

“There’s no way the original plan for a £200million frigate factory is going ahead and if that doesn’t happen jobs are on the line.

“The future of the shipbuilding industry is hanging by a thread now.

“What the Government is proposing is that we build ships outdoors like we did in the 19th century, using equipment from the 1980s.

“We were supposed to have a state-of-the-art facility to allow us to compete globally for work. But that isn’t happening and there’s no way overseas buyers will purchase ships built outdoors.

“Given that George Osborne is pushing outsourcing by sending work down south to support Tory votes, we’re going to get to a critical mass in Scotland that is so small that it is no longer viable.

“This is exactly what the GMB predicted. We said there was a risk the Tories would say ‘up yours’ and move the work to England.

“We also know that in the Ministry of Defence a lot of the admirals don’t care about building ships in the UK. So we’re in the middle of a perfect storm in terms of Scottish shipbuilding.”

(Image: PA)

The GMB plans to meet UK politicians this week to discuss the issue.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “The Tories made a promise to the shipyard workers and it must be delivered.

“Instead trying to sweep everything under the carpet, Ruth Davidson should be demanding David Cameron delivers on his promise to shipyard workers. Anything less would be a betrayal.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: “There are serious concerns about the future of the orders at the yard and it’s important that the Conservative government gives an absolute commitment.

“They need to end the feast and famine of orders so the workforce can be maintained at a steady level.”

A BAE Systems spokesman said: “We are working with the Ministry of Defence to agree a revised baseline for the Type 26 ships and a production schedule for the two Offshore Patrol Vessels in Glasgow.”