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Corbyn's Shipbuilding Boost Pledge On Harland & Wolff Visit

26th May 2018
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with UNITE NI representatives on the visit to Harland & Wolff, Belfast Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with UNITE NI representatives on the visit to Harland & Wolff, Belfast

#BelfastLough - The UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn backed a plan to boost the shipbuilding industry in Belfast as he visited Harland & Wolff shipyard.

Earlier on Friday, writes BBC News, Mr Corbyn crossed the Irish border after meeting business leaders in Londonderry to hear their concerns over Brexit.

Mr Corbyn walked across the bridge linking Strabane in County Tyrone and Lifford in County Donegal.

He began his visit on Thursday with a speech at Queen's University Belfast.

Speaking at Harland & Wolf, Mr Corbyn said he backs a £1 billion naval procurement budget going to the UK shipyards, including in Belfast, to sustain the shipbuilding industry.

Jackie Pollock, Unite's regional secretary, said: "Unite welcomes the commitment reiterated by Jeremy Corbyn while he visited Harland & Wolff that these contracts will be allocated to UK ports including Belfast.

"We are now calling on the UK government, as well as all the local political parties, to step up to the plate and adopt a proactive approach to securing these contracts and a future for workers in Belfast and other UK ports."

For more on the the leader's first trip click here. 

Published in Belfast Lough
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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