LETTER OF THE DAY '˜We cannot stand by and let short-sighted decisions threaten our city'

The announcement on Tuesday that almost 2,000 jobs could be lost at BAE Systems, including 340 in Portsmouth and the Solent area, will have been painful for workers and their families.

Readers can be reassured I stand with those affected in fighting for every job.

I have spent this week meeting with representatives of BAE Systems and unions, and speaking with the relevant government minister to discuss how we can protect Portsmouth from these job losses.

I have written to the Prime Minister to express my concerns and submitted written questions to the Secretary of State for Defence after hearing his minister’s unsatisfactory response to the House on Tuesday. I will continue to do much more.

Our dockyard workers are highly-skilled men and women whose talents we cannot afford to neglect.

For the sake of our city’s economy, and nation’s security, the government must ensure that these specialist skills are retained.

It is vital they protect jobs by investing our taxes in the UK defence industry rather than sinking them in factories abroad.

We cannot stand by and let short-sighted decisions threaten our city or its proud tradition of defence manufacturing serving our country.

Stephen Morgan MP

Member of Parliament, Portsmouth South

House of Commons, Westminster, London