Moray SNP News

LEADING MORAY BUSINESSMAN JOINS MP & MSP TO BACK EUROPE

Leading Moray businessman Jim Walker of Walkers Shortbread Ltd has joined local MP Angus Robertson and MSP Richard Lochhead in support of a vote to stay IN Europe.

Walkers Shortbread Ltd is a major exporting firm with many of its exports heading to the European Marketplace. The company employs more than 1,500 staff at its factories in Aberlour and Elgin and at its Head Office, also in Aberlour.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s referendum Jim Walker said:

“We have always avoided getting into party politics over the years but our Membership of the European Union goes to the heart of how we do business and market our products to Europe. This is one of our largest marketplaces and it is very important to us that we have stable market conditions to keep our business thriving and competitive.

“I have very serious concerns over the impact that a vote to leave the European Union would have on Walkers and the impact it would have on other major exporters to Europe here in Moray, across Scotland and the UK as a whole.”

Richard Lochhead MSP said:

“For the last nine years I have had the privilege of working in Government to support Scotland’s food and drink industry. Over that time is has been abundantly clear to me how important the European Union is to this vital sector. It is our strongest market for exported goods by some considerable way and one of our largest employers.

“A vote to remain in the EU would ensure that there is no disruption to that marketplace. This is a sector that has grown substantially in recent years and I do not want to see that great progress being undermined with the damage that would to jobs and our local economy.”

Angus Robertson MP said:

“Thursday’s referendum comes down to a vote to build and improve the relationship we have with Europe. Europe isn’t perfect but neither is Westminster. I do not believe that Westminster will deliver the positive benefits that we currently have as part of the European Union.

“Not only does Europe provide an important shared marketplace, it also provides significant employment protections for the individuals who work for companies like workers to produce the goods for that marketplace.

“I am asking people in Moray to vote to remain in the European Union on Thursday and strengthen the trading, social and cultural relationships that have been built up over decades with our European neighbours.”