MCVITIE’S: Workers at an iconic biscuit factory in Glasgow’s East End gathered outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday to protest against the plant’s closure.

GMB members at the McVitie’s factory in Tollcross travelled to Edinburgh to present a petition with more than 70,000 signatures in a last-ditch attempt to save nearly 500 jobs. 

The union is pleading with bosses to reconsider the closure and to meet with officials to consider alternative proposals.

PORTS: Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark has called for a series of ports in Scotland to be brought into public ownership.

Ms Clark, a former MP who represents the west of Scotland, raised concerns about Peel Ports, which has sites in Glasgow, Greenock, Hunterston and Ardrossan. 

She said it was right to bring the company, which has reported significant profits, into public ownership, citing concerns about noise and environmental pollution as well as employment conditions. 

EDUCATION: Lecturing staff at Scotland’s Rural College have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action, including potential strike action, in a continuing dispute over pay and grading.

The Educational Institute of Scotland announced the result yesterday after a derisory pay offer made by bosses earlier this year was soundly rejected. 

General secretary Larry Flanagan said the result proved workers’ strength of feeling and called on the college to pay lecturers fairly. 

TRANS RIGHTS: Members of the Scottish Greens have written to leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater opposing a co-operation deal with the SNP, which they claim has no respect for transgender people.

An open letter signed by 155 members called on the Greens’ co-leaders to challenge the SNP over its “gender-critical representatives” at every level “who have stoked the fire of trans panic in Scotland.”

The letter also demands the Scottish government repeal the Prostitution Act 2007, calling for decriminalisation of prostitution.