Motorola confirms plans to close UK plant

Motorola has confirmed plans to close its Bathgate plant in West Lothian, where more than 3,000 workers make mobile phones.

A statement from the US firm said the closure proposal potentially affects all of the 3,100 employees at the site, although no final decision has yet been made.

It adds that no other Motorola facilities in Scotland, or in the rest of the UK, are affected by this proposal.

Trades union bosses have dismissed Motorola's move as a cynical costcutting exercise.

Bill Speers, general-secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congresssaid: "Motorola have some serious questions to answer, the most important of which is why they are shutting a profitable plant in Scotland.

"Is it because they can they offset their losses on the sister plant in Germany against tax?"

Mr Speers pledged: "This is not the end of the road. The unions will be using the consultation period to keep fighting for the plant's future."

The slowdown in the US economy is threatening thousands of jobs in the UK electronics industry.

The latest effect was revealed last night when US manufacturer 3M said 500 jobs would be cut in the UK over the next year as part of a global cutback.