Happy Ending?

Looks like the ban on photography hereabouts has been lifted this week. I might test the water again when things settle down, but then again, I doubt the security guys will be in the best of moods for a while yet.

Central Scotland breathed a huge sigh of relief today when (sp)INEOS agreed to keep Grangemouth open. Its great news for the 10,000 people who's jobs depend on the place. I think it goes deeper than this to be honest - I work for the Council who take £20 million in business rates from Ineos, so the austerity cuts would have paled into insignificance if that income disappeared.

I can't help feeling that INEOS have played everyone from the start though. The workforce have been forced to agree to everything with no compromise - better to be shafted than sacked. The Scottish Government have agreed to giving them a £9 million grant and the UK Government will give them a £125 million loan guarantee. Everything they demanded from the start. On top of that, they conveniently laid all their 2000 subcontractors off yesterday before deciding to re-open the plant, so they can all be no doubt re-hired at lower rates.

The billionaire owner, Jim Ratcliffe, must be very pleased with himself as he sups a celebratory bollinger on his £140 million yacht