NORTH Ayrshire and Arran last week played host to the General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association Trade Union.

Manuel Cortes passed through Largs and Ardrossan on his way to Arran to chat to members and give them his support on the issue of privatisation of ferries in Scotland.

He told the Herald that he hoped the Scottish Government would stop the tendering process for ferries and said: “This is a step to end tendering and for many years the government said it was because of the Euro Directive but unions said it was nonsense.

“We forced the government to get an opinion from the European Council and it could have saved a lot of anguish and upset as they said the same as us.

“We understand that these are lifeline services, not just there to line the pockets of shareholders.

“The Corbyn effect means the SNP will have to track left to keep its vote, which I predict will result in them dropping the tendering process, not just for Calmac but for all lifeline services.”

But local MSP Kenneth Gibson hit back and said that the government has no such plans and said ‘Corbyn effect’ wasn’t in action in Scotland.

He said: “The SNP Government has no intention of privatising Scotland’s ferries. We have made that clear repeatedly over the last decade. The award of the Clyde and Hebrides ferries contract to CalMac last year proves it and that contract runs until 2024.

“I am not aware of any Corbyn effect in Scotland, a primarily London based phenomenon. Indeed, for the first time in a century Labour came third in Ayrshire and Scotland at a Westminster election in voting share only two months ago.

“SNP policies are developed to serve the best interests of Scotland, its people and communities and always will be.

“Corbyn has, if anything, moved steadily to the right. He now supports nuclear weapons, the House of Lords and a hard Brexit that will only damage the Scottish economy.”

Mr Cortes will travel north as he finishes his week long visit of the country before heading back to TSSA HQ in London.