SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar will convene a bus summit with England’s metro mayors after a week that saw manufacturer Alexander Dennis announce the closure of its Larbert site.

Mr Sarwar has challenged First Minister John Swinney to use government procurement to secure a future for the plant and its 400 workers, a suggestion Mr Swinney argued would fall foul of rules against state aid.

Announcing his summit today, the Scottish Labour leader said: “I won’t sit back while jobs are under threat at Alexander Dennis in Larbert.

“I’ve called this summit to look at how we secure more work for domestic manufacturers, but I also want to learn from mayors like Andy Burnham, who has already ensured that contracts go to Scottish and British firms.

“It’s frankly a scandal that the mayor of Greater Manchester has managed to buy almost four times as many buses from Scotland as the SNP Scottish government.

“While the SNP fail Scottish manufacturing, Scottish Labour will stand up for workers and businesses here.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “The workforce at Alexander Dennis in Larbert are outstanding and the buses they’ve built for our city region are the core of the Bee Network.

“This summit is a key opportunity for mayors and Scottish Labour to work together, looking at how we can all provide greater certainty for our domestic manufacturers and workers like those at Alexander Dennis.”

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram added: “This summit gives us the chance to pool our buying power, create a clear pipeline of work for an outstanding Scottish workforce and their supply chains, and underpin greener, more affordable transport networks that communities can rely on.”