30 . Glasgow Business October 2014
CHANGE BRINGS T
he democratic will is that Scotland stays part of the United Kingdom. Glasgow now needs to press forward confidently with a raſt of initiatives worth hundreds
of millions of pounds. Glasgow Chamber’s task is to work alongside all
branches of government and the private sector to ensure that this investment can deliver jobs, economic growth and exports from across the city region. Te emotions of many Glaswegians have been
in a roller-coaster ride over the summer of 2014. In the immediate aſtermath of the referendum result, there was discernible sense of gloom among those who had been on the yes side, which was the opposite extreme to the exuberance and joy created weeks earlier in the city during the Commonwealth Games. While the referendum result might have been a
disappointment for many living in Glasgow, the outcome of the vote was clear and we all need to work together to deliver change. Stuart Patrick, the Chamber’s Chief Executive,
said: “Te people of Scotland have expressed their will to remain part of the UK. It has been a long and exhaustive campaign and we must come
”Glasgow Chamber and its members will work with our partners to fully understand and engage with the process of further devolution”
together to secure the best deal for Scotish business. Tis does not mean the status quo remains, change is inevitable and with that comes both uncertainty and opportunity. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and its members will work diligently and vigorously with our partners to fully understand and engage with the process of further devolution,” he added. “It is imperative that we now send out the
message that Scotland is open for business and that we come together to shape our economy, foster growth and create sustainable jobs,” he concluded.
OPPORTU Despite a no vote in the independence referendum,
Above: BAE Systems which has one site in Govan, has secured a new contract from the MOD. Below: Sir Mark Walport said that ‘manufacturing in 2050 will look very different from today’
Te announcement that Lord Smith of Kelvin,
who presided over the delivery of the successful Glasgow Games, will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of more powers for Scotland, has been welcomed by many Chamber members. “If anyone understands the nuances of the vote
and what people expect the politicians to deliver, it is Lord Smith. He is highly respected and viewed as a fair and neutral person,” said one Chamber member. As a Glaswegian, he will be in a perfect position
to remind unionist politicians who seek to drag their feet that they will need to keep constitutional change on track. Te news of the City Deal, with £500 million
set aside by Westminster and Holyrood, and welcomed by the Glasgow City Council, can now be properly communicated to the citizens, while the investment in the city’s universities through UK funding, needs to be properly understood.
“We have been
talking about Glasgow as the powerhouse of the Scotish economy. Regardless of which way people voted, we need businesses and the public to buy into this vision of the city as a dynamo that can bring benefit for all sectors of society. We know that Glasgow Chamber members understand this, perhaps there is a convincing job to be done on a wider front,” said Stuart Patrick. Tere are some world-class
developments in the heart of the city, such as the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde, where up to 1,200
Lord Smith
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