Given all the political mudslinging that has gone on over Ferguson Marine, the thoughts of a Scottish engineering industry leader on the Port Glasgow shipbuilder were most definitely a breath of fresh air.

Crucially Paul Sheerin, chief executive of industry body Scottish Engineering, highlighted the importance of the yard in providing high-value employment in an area that does not have its economic challenges to seek.

He also underlined the many training opportunities provided for young people by the shipyard, which has since 2019 been owned by the Scottish Government after falling into administration.

Mr Sheerin also highlighted the importance of making decisions to support the last commercial (non-naval) shipbuilder on the Clyde, if we want to keep it.

Having covered the fortunes of the Ferguson yard since the 1990s and having had to listen to so much negativity about the shipbuilder in recent years, it was extremely encouraging to read Mr Sheerin’s perspective, which was published in The Herald on Monday.

His points about employment and training opportunities might seem obvious enough. However, these huge benefits of the Ferguson Marine yard continuing in operation appear to be most undervalued by those who have at times appeared to delight, for political reasons, in the shipbuilder’s recent difficulties.

These troubles relate to the building of two complex vessels for ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne, and specifically the major cost overruns and delays on this work, which was awarded by Scottish Government owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. The first of these vessels, the MV Glen Sannox, is now finished and poised to enter service, with attention now focused on completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Those who are keen to bash the Scottish Government at every opportunity have appeared almost gleeful at the mounting costs and the major delays for these ferries, even as they have claimed to be on the side of the islanders who have so needed these vessels.

This is a very poor show indeed. Surely, we........

© Herald Scotland