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In testimonial to Ken McCracken CA | November 2025

In life there are special people who touch your soul, people whose presence brings heart, hope and light. On the 4th of November 2025, I lost a dear ally and friend, and the HALO team lost a brilliant financial mind and a true gentleman: Ken McCracken.

I first met Ken in 1992 when he was a young chartered accountant in Glasgow and also Mr Soul himself, the extraordinary saxophone player and manager of The Glasgow Soul Band, the iconic Counselled Out.

Oh, how I remember those nights filled with music, from Glasgow bars and clubs to the Renfrew Ferry, always sold out and always the highlight of the week. Life felt simpler then, and Ken and the band went on to achieve incredible success, performing at major gigs across Scotland and beyond.

Away from the stage, Ken quietly built a remarkable professional life. When he was not performing to packed audiences, he was a trusted advisor and strategist to many businesses, including ours at The KLIN Group. He became a steady, insightful presence through some of the most defining moments of my career.

I remember, as if it were yesterday, buying KLIN from my dad in 2004 and stepping into my first major deal as the new owner. That deal changed my life forever: bringing WM Morrison Supermarket PLC to Scotland with their first store on our 30 acre brownfield site in Kilmarnock, before their purchase of Safeway. It was one of the most challenging deals I have ever done, with a national supermarket competitor fighting hard to keep it from concluding. (This significant moment was captured. See image in the gallery below – Ken pictured with the wider team celebrating the achievement). 

What few people know is that deals like that only succeed when you surround yourself with the very best team. And Ken was exactly that. The deal would never have been so successful without him, the quiet man behind the scenes whose accounting expertise, strategic insight and financial wisdom guided me and our team through that intense period and many more to follow.

Ken was not only a gifted financier, he was a man of heart, humility and deep community values. He never sought the spotlight, never demanded centre stage in his day job as senior partner and later owner of JRD Financial Services Partnership. Yet he was always, and will always remain, the gentle giant: in stature, spirit and soul.

Sending love and prayers to his wife, the incomparable Lady Kat, to his daughters and to all his family.

Marie and all at HALO

Daily Record | Sunday Mail | Sunday 23rd November 2025

Leading businesswoman Marie Macklin has criticised the lack of action from the UK Government after the announcement that the Mossmorran plant would partially close.

A leading businesswoman has accused Keir Starmer’s government of “washing their hands” of Scotland’s industrial base while supporting jobs in other parts of the UK. Property developer and investor Dr Marie Macklin launched the attack in the wake of news hundreds of workers face redundancy at the ExxonMobil Mossmorran chemical plant in Fife.

The Prime Minister has rejected calls to bailout Mossmorran with public money – in line with his administration’s refusal to intervene to save the Grangemouth oil refinery from closure earlier this year.

By contrast the UK Government stepped in to take control of British Steel’s plant in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, to prevent it from closing in April. Ministers also agreed to underwrite a £1.5billion loan guarantee to Jaguar Land Rover in September in the wake of a cyber attack which halted production.

Macklin joined ExxonMobil’s UK chief in blaming punitive carbon taxes for Mossmorran’s closure and implored Chancellor Rachel Reeves to announce support for the energy industry in Wednesday’s Budget.

Writing for the Sunday Mail the serial entrepreneur, who was CEO of Kilmarnock based KLIN Group before founding the HALO regeneration project, said: “The news over the last week that Mossmorran is due to close with the loss of around 200 jobs is a devastating blow.

Coming so soon after separate moves to wind down production at Grangemouth, it shows there is a deep crisis for what remains of Scotland’s industrial base.

But the UK Government has – just as they have done with Grangemouth – effectively washed their hands of the issue by refusing to intervene to save jobs. That is unforgivable, especially when ministers have intervened for industrial facilities facing similar difficulties in other parts of the UK.

Both the UK and Scottish Governments, years ago, could and should have done more to prevent this situation. But the future of sites like Mossmorran and Grangemouth should not be the subject of political squabbling.”

Macklin, who was awarded a CBE in 2014, is the founder and executive chair of The HALO Urban Regeneration in her home town of Kilmarnock. She was previously the CEO of The KLIN Group from 2004 until 2014 and sits on the board of the Scottish North American Business Council (SNABC).

She writes: “We need to maximise job creation from the new green economy, that must not mean abandoning existing sectors such as oil and gas.”

Marie Macklin has called for more support for Scotland’s industry “The Mossmorran situation shows the hugely damaging impact of the regulations and costs placed on industry, including the carbon tax which has cost the Fife plant £200million a year alone, and which should be scrapped in the forthcoming UK Budget.”

Mossmorran’s owner ExxonMobil has also blamed government policy on the plant’s closure. UK chairman Paul Greenwood said: “Our ethylene plant and its closure is an example of how bad [government] policy is going to hurt jobs and undermine economic growth in the UK.”

He also accused Labour of damaging British business with its ban on new North Sea drilling, carbon taxes and high energy prices.

It comes as Rachel Reeves yesterday promised to get a grip on the cost of living to help support families after years of Tory austerity in the budget. She said: “Working families will be at the front of my mind as I set out how we will cut NHS waiting lists, cut national debt and cut the cost of living. These are the priorities of the country and my priorities as your Chancellor.

“Cutting NHS waiting lists because we promised we would pick the NHS up from its knees, reverse the years of austerity inflicted on us by the Tories, and stop patients languishing for months before getting the treatment they need.

“Cutting national debt because there is nothing progressive about spending £1 in every £10 on debt interest, when that money should be going into our schools, our hospitals, our police and our communities. Cutting the cost of living, because I know it remains the number one pressure on households.

“High prices, which are painful for all, hit ordinary families most. Mirror readers will know that the economy isn’t working for working people, and for too many it feels stuck. That’s why in my Budget on Wednesday I will take action to grip the cost of living.”

The Chancellor is expected to announce a £48million boost for 350 new planners to help unlock a building boom. Reeves used a rare pre-Budget speech to put the country on notice for tax increases, but the government appears to have u-turned on this.

Anas Sarwar meanwhile has said Scotland cannot rely on migrants to fill social care jobs. His comments come after a social care body said the UK government’s immigration proposals would have a “profoundly negative impact” on Scotland’s care sector.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a string of changes to the immigration system.

She is proposing that workers on post-Brexit health and social care visas wait 15 years before permanent settlement – up from five years currently.

Sarwar said the UK’s “broken immigration system” needed to be fixed, and better wages were needed to attract Scottish workers to social care roles.

He was speaking after Scottish Labour’s policy conference in Edinburgh, where he announced plans for a new specialist mental health service and more support for community policing.

Sarwar told delegates he was determined to deliver “big, bold and meaningful change” if his party wins next May’s Holyrood election.

Above image of the feature. You can read the article via link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/labour-washing-hands-scotlands-industrial-36291565

The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry into industrial transition in Scotland | Ochiltree Community Hub | Ochiltree, Ayrshire | Monday 17th November 2025

(Marie pictured with Maureen Burke MP, Lillian Jones MP, Patricia Ferguson MP and Elaine Stewart MP) 

Commenting after giving evidence to a roundtable meeting of the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry into industrial transition in Scotland, at Ochiltree Community Hub in Ochiltree earlier this week, Dr Marie Macklin CBE said…

“I welcome the opportunity to have shared my views with members of the Scottish Affairs Committee as part of this important inquiry, which must lead to firm policy decisions to help the process of industrial transition.

“Above all it is vital that the lessons of the past are learned so that mistakes are not replicated. That means there should be no repeat of the policies which saw so many individuals and communities cast aside as part of the transition from traditional heavy industry more than a generation ago.

“I well remember the devastating impact of those changes on communities like my own in Ayrshire. Unfortunately, recent announcements concerning industrial facilities at Grangemouth and Mossmorran show that there is a danger of that happening again.

“The transition to a new economy cannot mean throwing workers on the scrapheap and leaving communities behind. That means we need joined up action from the UK and Scottish Governments, working in partnership with other agencies and the private sector.”

Commenting on the proposed closure of the Fife Ethelyne Plant at Exxon Mobil’s Mosmorran facility, with the loss of around 200 jobs and supply chains, Dr Marie Macklin CBE said: 

“The closure of Mosmorran heralds another devastating blow to Scotland’s industrial infrastructure, and should not simply be allowed to happen without firm action being taken to save jobs and productive capacity at the site. 

Coming so soon after moves to wind down production at Grangemouth, this latest news shows there is a deep crisis in what remains of Scotland’s industrial base. 

The fact that the UK Government has – just as they have done with Grangemouth – effectively washed their hands of the issue by refusing to intervene to save jobs, in the same way as they have done for industrial facilities facing similar difficulties in other parts of the UK, is simply unforgiveable. 

As I made clear when I appeared on BBC Scotland’s Debate Night last week, we urgently need to protect our existing industrial facilities to help grow the economy. That means both the UK and Scottish Government doing everything they can to jointly help deliver the best economic conditions possible to bring growth, jobs and prosperity. Bluntly, there is no time for political squabbling. 

We need a new industrial strategy from the Scottish Government, allied to a wider UK strategy, both of which should seek to address the roots of the crisis afflicting our industries. 

And while there is an absolute imperative to maximise job creation from the emerging clean anergy and green economy sector, that must not mean abandoning jobs in existing sectors such as oil and gas. 

The proposed closure and job losses at Mosmorran are another clear signal – if one were even needed – of the hugely damaging impact  of the regulations and costs placed on traditional heavy industry. 

As a child growing up in the former industrial coalfield and manufacturing Ayrshire community we cannot sit by and let history be repeated – It is clearly time to think again.”

…

UK’s current economic and policy environment combined with market conditions, high supply costs and plant efficiency do not create a competitive future for the site”. By Exxon Mobil – quote from media,  Wednesday 18th November 2025

On Thursday 14^th November, Marie delivered the keynote address at the Rotary Club of Kilmarnock’s annual Young Achievers Dinner, held at the Park Hotel, Kilmarnock.

The event celebrates young people from across the town who are making outstanding contributions and going above and beyond in their communities.

Invited by Rotary Club President John Herd, Marie’s speech centred on the themes of Regeneration, Renewal, and Resilience. She also reflected on the club’s proud history, noting that the Kilmarnock Rotary was formed in 1927 – the same year the town’s War Memorial was officially opened in honour of the fallen during Armistice Week.

Commenting on the evening, Marie said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my evening as the Rotary celebrated the young achievers from across the area. I was inspired by their stories and their drive to make things happen. More than ever, we need to support and work with our young people, and I applaud the Rotary Club for being a beacon of hope in this area. Thank you for a wonderful evening, and I wish all the young achievers continued success.”

 Extract from Marie’s speech…

 “My dream was to build a new history for Kilmarnock and Ayrshire like our forefathers did on that old bottling plant site.

 It is now my dream to build a HALO effect across the world on a foundation of Opportunity at the fore front of the new 4th Industrial Revolution set within Green Sustainable Communities.

 Just like Johnnie Walker walked the world so can this girl and all boys and girls from Kilmarnock and Ayrshire.

 Kilmarnock and Scotland were built by the hands of men and women of Greatness.”

Full speech can be viewed here.

Wednesday 12^th November  2025 | Citizen Theatre, Glasgow

Making her debut on the show, in front of a lively audience in Glasgow’s redeveloped Citizen’s Theatre, Marie joined host Stephen Jardine along with the Scottish Conservatives’ Murdo Fraser MSP,  Scottish Labour’s Paul O’Kane MSP, SNP councillor Alex Kerr and entrepreneur and Great British Dewing Bee host Patrick Grant.

Commenting, Marie said:

“It was a pleasure to take part in Debate Night, especially in such a great venue and in front of a fantastic Glasgow audience.

“It was a valuable opportunity to discuss some of the key issues of the day, including the crisis facing the BBC, migration to Scotland and the need to kickstart economic growth to help create jobs and regenerate our communities.

“I was particularly pleased to be able to talk about how the issue of immigration and to address the way in which it has become so bound up with toxicity in the way it is discussed. As I made clear, Scotland has benefited hugely from successive waves of migration from all around the world over many generations.

“However, the political toxicity which the issue now generates is such that it needs to be tackled. That is why I was happy to use my appearance on Debate Night to highlight the work of Glasgow University’s John Smith Centre in taking forward a unique initiative aimed at showing young people how politics can be conducted in a constructive and respectful way.

“The Political Conversations initiative, which I am proud to have helped launch at my old school, Kilmarnock Academy earlier this year, is now being rolled out a cross other schools and can help lay the ground to improve political discourse among the next generation of voters and politicians.

“On the economy, it was great to see such passion from all members of the panel, despite differing political standpoints, when it comes to what we need to do to make Scotland an economic success story. I made clear that I want to see urgent action from both the UK and Scottish Governments, including steps by the latter to quickly reinvest £500 million in underspend in ways that can kick-start entrepreneurship.

“Overall, it was great to take part in Debate Night, under Stephen Jardine’s excellent compering, and I look forward to appearing on the programme again in future.”

View the programme on iPlayer now: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002m8pq/debate-night-series-7-12112025

You can view a showreel from the programme below…

Commenting on the formal start of the COP 30 UN climate summit in Brazil, and its implications for jobs and opportunity closer to home, Dr Marie Macklin CBE said: 

“The latest UN climate summit in Brazil comes at a point when the global path to Net Zero appears stalled, and at a time when many people are questioning the value of such gatherings.

“However, the fact that the COP summits appear to have slipped down the agenda in terms of their perceived importance to some governments should not be taken as evidence that the journey to a sustainable future is not a necessary one.

“Instead, it should be seen as a wake-up call to governments and decision makers everywhere that they need to do more to make the path to Net Zero a more attractive one for businesses, organisations and, above all, for ordinary people.

“We cannot expect communities, companies and individuals to embrace the changes needed unless we are able to show that sustainability can be achieved fairly.  That means promoting opportunity at every stage, so that the transition to Net Zero brings jobs, growth and other tangible benefits.

“In 2021, the COP 26 summit in Glasgow saw the creation of the GFANZ initiative, which brought together many of the world’s leading financial institutions in an alliance aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation agenda. But, four years on, many bodies have withdrawn from GFANZ as a result of overly restrictive requirements.

“That experience should serve as a lesson, as it demonstrates that trying to go too far, too quickly can be counterproductive.

“Instead, at a time when the goal of a fair transition seems as far away as ever to many, we need to ensure the benefits of the Net Zero journey are as widely shared as possible.

“COP 30 will only be a success if it sees a wholesale recommitment to that aim of securing fairness and opportunity.  And with estimates that the market for renewables and clean energy will grow from around £500 billion to around £1.74 trillion within the next decade, the scale of opportunity is vast.

“In the meantime, our own UK and Scottish Governments need to properly harness that potential, and show – through their climate and energy policy actions as well as words – that they can deliver the jobs, opportunity and hope that is so badly needed.”

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the #TALKEndo ENDO1000 campaign launch in Edinburgh, funded by Dr Marie Macklin CBE, Marie reflects on the progress made so far and emphasises that “there is still more to do.”

In April 2024, through her ‘Special Projects’ initiative, Marie – herself a historical endometriosis sufferer, funded a strategic report and national awareness campaign to support the pioneering research being led by Professor Andrew Horne and the ENDO1000 project team at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Reproductive Health. Her aim: to shine a national spotlight on the condition and to assist women who have, or have yet to receive, an endometriosis diagnosis.

ENDO1000 is a UK-wide research project collecting data and biological samples from 1,000 individuals with confirmed or suspected endometriosis. This pioneering work will lay the foundation for personalised care and treatment, with the potential to transform countless lives by significantly improving both diagnosis and treatment.

The ENDO1000 team’s mission is to significantly reduce the lengthy diagnostic delays faced by many women, to develop personalised treatment approaches informed by real-world patient data, and to accelerate discovery through long-term, data-driven research that can shape the future of endometriosis care.

The launch event (October 2024) brought together ambassadors, project partners, donors, and invited guests, who heard directly from leading experts before touring the ENDO1000 laboratories and research hub. As Lead Ambassador, Marie issued a powerful call to action – a £1 million fundraising target to help drive the project forward.

The event gained significant national media coverage, including features on Channel 5 News, BBC Radio Scotland Drivetime, and STV, amplifying the campaign’s reach and impact. Since launch, the ENDO1000 team, ambassadors, partners and donors have worked tirelessly to raise funds – now reaching almost £500,000, halfway to the target.

This fundraising effort is not just symbolic; it is essential to the progress of the ENDO1000 project. Every pound raised helps strengthen the team’s capacity to commence the next phase of the research. Endometriosis affects an estimated 190 million women worldwide and 1.5 million in the UK, costing the UK economy around £8.2 billion each year in treatment, lost work, and healthcare costs.

Marie continues to engage with the Scottish Government regarding ENDO1000 and #TALKEndo, advocating for increased awareness and resources to support this vital work.

“We’ve made incredible strides in just one year – but this is only the beginning. We owe it to the millions of women affected to keep pushing forward, to fund the research, and to build a future where diagnosis and treatment are faster, fairer, and more effective,” said Dr Marie Macklin CBE.

She added: “The fundraising effort to date has been fantastic. However, there is still a way to go to ensure that the project can properly fulfil its hugely ambitious goals and potential. “This is a Scottish-based research project of potentially far-reaching significance, and as such it deserves as much support as possible.”

You can find out more about ENDO1000 via their website at www.endo1000.com

Tuesday 21^st October 2025

Last year, Marie hosted the Faith Leaders Summit at HALO, creating an opportunity for the faith community to come together to discuss the most pressing issues affecting local people and how best to support some of the most vulnerable in society. These conversations led to the design and delivery of a campaign aimed at supporting those over 66 to access the Attendance Allowance HUB, potentially providing up to an additional £108.55 per week to help offset the removal of the winter heating allowance.

In addition, Marie made donations to the EACHA project and St. Joseph’s Church to support their Christmas food provision activities. On Tuesday 21 October 2025, she visited both organisations to catch up on progress and hear about their plans for the upcoming festive season.

Marie met with Fr Stephen McGrattan, Fr Kevin Rennie, and Margaret from St. Joseph’s Church.

The visit provided an opportunity to hear about the current challenges facing the local community as well as the incredible work being carried out by the parish. Encouragingly, the church has seen an increase in engagement from younger people, and its popular community café brings together members of the congregation every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm, offering conversation, company, and tea, coffee and cake.

The church also highlighted how the HALO EV Bus has been a huge support to parishioners, helping them attend church and community trips, reducing travel costs, and increasing participation. In addition, the HALO Pensioner Attendance Allowance Hub has been a great success, with many parishioners now receiving the full allowance they were previously unaware they could claim.

Marie reaffirmed her commitment to supporting St. Joseph’s again this Christmas, including providing free use of the HALO EV Bus for community projects.

Marie also visited Steph McCutcheon and Rev. David Cameron at the new EACHA HQ on John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock.

East Ayrshire Churches Homelessness Action (EACHA) was established in 2005 and provides practical support to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, offering a non-judgemental space for food, friendship and support. Marie was delighted to see first-hand the work taking place at their new hub.

The discussion focused on the challenges faced by service users, including housing, addiction and employability, as well as the urgent need for changes to government policy. Funding pressures across the sector remain a major concern, with new models of public and private sector partnership seen as crucial to ensuring sustainability.

During the visit, Marie donated “Angel & Dove”, an original Gerard Burns painting, to EACHA’s new premises. She also pledged continued support for their Christmas food and lunch provision and discussed a pilot for a new HALO community housing, employment and health model designed to generate income and strengthen EACHA’s future operations.

….

“We live in a time when community, hope, care and compassion are required more than ever.” Dr Marie Macklin CBE

Scotland’s tradition of shipbuilding has iconic status and can still deliver a new age of success, argues Dr Marie Macklin

The HERALD | Thursday 25th September 2025.

Scotland’s industrial history is many layered. As a nation we were in the vanguard of the industrial revolution, charting a path which others followed while reaping the benefits, and downsides, of industrialization and the rapid deindustrialization which has followed in more recent times.

Coal mining, textile manufacturing and steel making all form part of that story – a rich tapestry of toil and achievement, the legacies of which, for good and ill, are all around us. But if there is one industry above all others which still has iconic status in Scotland, it is surely our tradition of shipbuilding.

The days when the shipyards of the Clyde built many of the merchant and passenger vessels sailing the world’s oceans are long gone, but there remains a core of expertise here which may yet deliver a new age of success.

Recent announcements that Scottish shipyards are to be at the very forefront of a new raft of international defence procurement is proof of that enduring excellence.

And it also presents a chance to revitalize the sector for the long term in a way that can underpin a new age of reindustrialization which is so badly needed.  However, it is a moment which needs to be seized before the window of opportunity closes. The news that the Norwegian Government has decided to choose Scottish shipbuilders to construct a new generation of warships is testament to the critical mass of skill and ingenuity which remains on the Clyde.

It will see at least five Type 26 frigates constructed for the Norwegian navy, securing thousands of Scottish jobs in the process. At a cost of £10 billion, the deal is reported to be both the biggest ever warship export deal for the UK, and also the largest ever exercise in overseas military procurement by Norway.

Just days after that announcement came the news that the Babcock yard at Rosyth is expected to win a £1 billion contract to build four vessels for the Danish navy.

The remaining shipyards of the Clyde and the Forth, whilst a fraction of the size of the industry which once dominated their shorelines, will now be secure in their work stretching towards the middle of this century at least.

But while the new contracts announced are in the naval sector, that should act as an incentive for how the commercial shipping sector can also build its way back to at least something of its former greatness. The opportunity should be grasped to turn this moment of success into a generational win, securing the sector for decades to come.

And while it might not be realistic to expect the Clyde and Forth to be turned back into the hotbed of heavy industry of generations past, that does not mean we should close our eyes to the type of new opportunities at hand.

And it also presents a chance to revitalize the sector for the long term in a way that can underpin a new age of reindustrialization which is so badly needed.  However, it is a moment which needs to be seized before the window of opportunity closes.

The news that the Norwegian Government has decided to choose Scottish shipbuilders to construct a new generation of warships is testament to the critical mass of skill and ingenuity which remains on the Clyde.

It will see at least five Type 26 frigates constructed for the Norwegian navy, securing thousands of Scottish jobs in the process. At a cost of £10 billion, the deal is reported to be both the biggest ever warship export deal for the UK, and also the largest ever exercise in overseas military procurement by Norway.

Just days after that announcement came the news that the Babcock yard at Rosyth is expected to win a £1 billion contract to build four vessels for the Danish navy.

The remaining shipyards of the Clyde and the Forth, whilst a fraction of the size of the industry which once dominated their shorelines, will now be secure in their work stretching towards the middle of this century at least.

But while the new contracts announced are in the naval sector, that should act as an incentive for how the commercial shipping sector can also build its way back to at least something of its former greatness. The opportunity should be grasped to turn this moment of success into a generational win, securing the sector for decades to come.

And while it might not be realistic to expect the Clyde and Forth to be turned back into the hotbed of heavy industry of generations past, that does not mean we should close our eyes to the type of new opportunities at hand.

That includes the use of shipbuilding skills to provide facilities which can be deployed in the green economy, such as the manufacture of modern sail technologies, which have the potential to massively decarbonize merchant shipping around the globe.

If we do not seize this moment, then there are many others who will be happy to fill that space, whether it is in the form of new arrivals on the shipbuilding scene, or others who like us have a great maritime heritage they are trying to reinvigorate.

That latter category includes the United States, which is poised to ramp up its seagoing manufacturing as part of concerted governmental action to restore America’s maritime dominance in the face of competition from China and elsewhere.

The sector here deserves the same kind of government support, whether that comes from Holyrood or Westminster.  That should involve concrete action to restore our own commercial maritime manufacturing capabilities, expanding and strengthening the recruitment, training, and retention of the relevant workforce. A new Maritime Act that puts our communities first would be a welcome step.

Any such legislation should aim to build on the principle of social value, so that extra weight is given to the societal and community benefits likely to be delivered when it comes to scoring bids for the awarding of contracts.

It is an approach endorsed by Graeme Thomson, the new chief executive at the Ferguson’s shipyard in Port Glasgow.

Ferguson’s has been at the centre of much controversy in recent years, but we need to move beyond that so that the commercial and naval shipbuilding sectors become strong enough to complement each other, in a mutually reinforcing virtuous circle.

There is another dimension when it comes to the question of shipbuilding because, like so many other issues in Scotland’s public discourse, it is bound up with constitutional politics.  Too often the sector – and the construction of naval vessels in particular – has been used as a pawn in the debate about our country’s future.

We should take politics out of it. That means accepting that, however the nation is governed and whatever the future holds, the skill of our workers means they will always be able to secure orders based on their craft and expertise.  The award of the recent naval contracts is solid proof of that.

Instead of using the shipbuilding sector as a political football, we should, to borrow a phrase from the beautiful game, resort to good old-fashioned “route one” tactics, by being direct and decisive to deliver a win for the home team.

This week marks World Maritime Day. It’s an occasion to remember our nation’s proud seagoing history – but also one to look ahead with hope and optimism to what can still be a bright future.

Dr Marie Macklin CBE is a leading Scottish businesswoman and investor.