Big push in battle for jobs

Scores of Labour MPs from across the region will be urged at an unprecedented emergency meeting in Westminster tomorrow to back calls for York to retain its Army divisional headquarters.

And York's fight with Edinburgh for the work has been boosted by the revelation by Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar that the Scottish capital will gain more than 200 jobs when the Scottish Parliament is set up there.

The Army is considering merging the 2nd Division, based at Imphal Barracks, with the Edinburgh-based Scottish Division and siting the merged HQ in the Scottish capital. The loss of 200-plus jobs would be a major blow to York's economy and employment prospects.

And York MP Hugh Bayley, who wants the merged HQ to be based in York, said: "Edinburgh already has a much bigger share of Civil Service jobs than York and it's getting more because of devolution. It would be quite wrong to take these Army HQ jobs away from York."

The campaign has won a further boost after the number of coupons signed by Evening Press readers in support of our campaign to Save York's Army Tradition topped the 600 mark.

"Breaking through the 600 barrier so quickly shows the strength of feeling in York to the Government. It's a magnificent effort by the Evening Press and its readers," said Mr Bayley, who intends handing the coupons later this month to the Ministry of Defence.

In another development, Opposition leader William Hague has promised to examine York's Army jobs campaign.

Mr Bayley said a joint meeting of the Yorkshire group and the Northern group of Labour MPs had been called for tomorrow afternoon.

He and two Civil Service union leaders from Imphal, Ian MacLaren and Ian Craven intended addressing the MPs, pressing for them to turn what was a local campaign into a regional campaign.

Background to the Evening Press campaign 'Save our Army HQ'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.