Burnham under pressure to ‘save the day’ as a further 377 jobs at risk in Grangemouth
Syngenta says it is committed to a "genuine consultation" with unions and employees and will consider alternative options for the site.
Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman has challenged the Prime Minister to intervene after Syngenta announced plans to cease operations at its Grangemouth site.
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Andy Burnham is under pressure to act on his pledge to reindustrialise Britain after 377 jobs were put at risk at the Syngenta chemical plant in Grangemouth.
The company has proposed ceasing operations at the site and has begun a formal consultation with workers and trade unions.
Syngenta says no final decision has been made and that alternative options will be considered, but says the Grangemouth operation remains significantly more expensive to run than other production sites.
The decision is another blow for the town after 400 jobs were lost last year through the closure of the Ineos oil refinery.
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Scottish Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth has told LBC he is writing today to the Prime Minister to demand that he comes to Scotland and acts.
He says Grangemouth is an opportunity for Mr Burnham to demonstrate his commitment to reindustrialising the UK.
"I'm raging, to be honest," Mr Leishman told LBC. ”Syngenta has offered one solution, and that is closure and leaving the town.
"We're talking about 377 workers on site. That also means thousands of workers in the wider supply chain.
"I cannot emphasise enough, Andy Burnham, who I'm 100% behind, Andy Burnham talks a great game about re-industrialisation. This is his opportunity to deliver that.
"We have got an ex-industrial heartland in Grangemouth that has been let down by governments for years.
"Come up to Grangemouth, Prime Minister. Speak with the workers. See how important this is. See the potential of Grangemouth."
👇@LBC @LBCNewsScot
— Brian Leishman (@BrianLeishmanMP) October 2, 2026
The Prime Minister say he wants to reindustrialise the nation.
Intervening at Syngenta in Grangemouth is the perfect chance to get his time in Downing Street off to the right start. https://t.co/FeMtprEuTB
Mr Leishman said he would write to the Prime Minister personally and invite him to visit the town.
"I'm writing to the Prime Minister to say come up to Grangemouth, speak to my local constituents, come walk around the La Porte precinct, see what has happened," he said.
"Our community has been ravaged by deindustrialisation for years.
"We have got the opportunity of doing something different, of reindustrialising the community."
“So come on up here, do what's right, save the day, just like the UK government did for Scunthorpe.”
Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer nationalised the steelworks at Scunthorpe when they were at risk of closure - a move Mr Leishman welcomed at the time but said should have been expanded to the Grangemouth oil refinery.
Now Mr Burnham has made reindustrialisation a central theme of his government, including a pledge to promote domestic industry and investment.
But Mr Leishman says the workers in Grangemouth need more than political rhetoric.
"I know that Andy Burnham talks about hope. My constituents need more than a nice neat slogan. We need government intervention to do the right thing and to build Grangemouth for the industrial future that Scotland and the United Kingdom needs."
Syngenta says it is committed to a "genuine consultation" with unions and employees and will consider alternative options for the site.
Reindustrialisation Minister Blair McDougall said the UK Government was taking action, but Syngenta had made a “commercial decision.”
"I know this will be a deeply concerning time for workers at Syngenta and their families, and I met with the company yesterday to discuss all options for the site and the workforce," he said.
"We will continue to work closely with both of them and look at all options for the site and the workforce.
"We remain committed to supporting jobs in Grangemouth following the hundreds we have already protected, and will work urgently with the National Wealth Fund in the next few days to explore all options for the area.”
However, both Mr Leishman and the local SNP MSP Martyn Day say it’s time for the UK government to spend some of the £200 million made available to Grangemouth through the National Wealth Fund.
Mr Day said: "People in Grangemouth rightly feel that they have been let down time and time again by this UK Labour Government, they promised £200 million in support for the area but not a single penny has been delivered.
"With hundreds more jobs now at risk, kind words and more promises from Labour ministers won't cut it. Grangemouth needs the money it was promised, and it needs it now."