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Douglas
the cartel was in operation between July 1998 and June 2002.
And just what was the Labour/Liberal coalition Executive doing about it? And just what was the Labour Government at the time doing about it? Perhaps we should feel a little bit agrieved that the so called Workers Party did nothing for the workers that voted for them and that the Party that campaigned on Mrs Thatcher's devastation of Scottish jobs "managed" a similar outcome on their own behalf. The sooner we get some politicians who put Scotland first, if that is not a contradiction in terms, the better.

Quite so, handclapping. But looking at the calibre of the people for whom the Labour party provides a career vehicle, what can we expect? Many are out of their depth at anything requiring more vision, responsibility and intelligence than that exercised at the level of soap-box accusations and fear-mongering propaganda. Thousands of jobs lost while Labour was in power at Westminster and Holyrood? 'Aw, it's they Tories - vote Labour again next time and we'll get you mair benefits.'

You will notice no doubt that all those companies were foreign owned and were classed as foreign investors and therefore made welcome and in many instances offered tens of millions of taxpayers money.

Handclapping, without meaning to cause offense, I think it should be pointed out that the article suggests that at the time the authorities were unaware of the illegal activities going on, so could do nothing about it.
Also the companies were to blame for the job losses in Scotland, according to the article.
As far as I know, the Scottish Government did not have the legal authority to challenge the companies. In fact I think even the UK parliament could not have raken action to save jobs, but the EU could have.
I may be wrong, but if that is right, then things should change, imho.

"1. Handclapping"

While I am no defender of the industrial devastation that was inflicted on much of the UK during the eighties,at least the Tories made a determined effort to bring new industries. The Motorola's, NEC's Compaq's and others were all brought to Scotland under the Tories and together formed Silicon Glen. As "Handclapping" points out the administrations of the devolved Parliament were all but impotent when they decided to move on.

I was working for a large Microelectronics company in 1998, in Scotland.
They were world leader in a particular field for many years. Unfortunately the company did not continue to invest in the technology, mainly because the lucrative American market wouldn't accept the new microchips. They slipped from market leader to third place, then subsequently sold it off. Our section's jobs were in danger, so many of us found alternative employment. I recount this sad tale, not to exhonerate the Government, but to explain that it was companies such as mine, who failed their workers. Bad management decisions cost more than can be honestly reported.
I am now working in the USA, for a company which values it's workers and rewards the innovative work we do.
I still feel pangs of sorrow for my previous friends and co-workers, who were not as fortunate, but did good work for these companies who have closed their doors. RIP Silicon Glen.

The 'invisible hand of the market' inevitably has the invisible hands of people manipulating it. Particularly when there is little or no regulation to hinder the acceleration of "market failure".
It was the Thatcher era that deregulated the market but New Labour did little to rectify the situation.
What difference more rules or scrutiny would have had in the long term is a moot point as firms will, in a competitive market, always look to cut costs as well as innovate.
One of the problems the UK has got is we are not winning the race to the bottom with regard to labour costs and relative standards of living. Though it should be noted that the gap between the rich and poor is expanding rapidly.

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