Latest update confirms cost of MV Glen Rosa closing in on £200m

Commenting on an update provided to the Scottish Parliament's Net Zero, Energy and Transport and Public Audit committees on the costs of the MV Glen Rosa from Graeme Thomson, Chief Executive of Ferguson Marine which confirms that the bill for the boat has now reached £197.5 million, Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene said:

"This is almost five times what the boat was originally supposed to cost, you could have built four ferries for the same price.

"If I went in a pub where a pint was a fiver and it ended up costing me £25 I'd walk out, but the SNP are knee deep in manure over this issue because they will have to keep chucking public at this project until it’s finished.

"Ministers were warned that it would have been cheaper to scrap the vessel and start again, they ignored advice and ploughed on. Meanwhile they’re giving ferry contracts to Poland and Turkey snubbing Scottish shipbuilders.

“Not a single minister has ever resigned over this scandal. Coastal communities like Ardrossan have never seen a penny of compensation for the disruption. It’s a massive display of arrogance that people in the west of Scotland won’t forget.”