The struggle that is faced by the workers at McVitie’s in the east end of Glasgow echoes the struggle of so many skilled industrial workers in Scotland over the past 50 years. From Michelin Tyres in Dundee to the Caley railway works in Glasgow, it is a grimly familiar story of an overseas owner asset stripping Scotland’s industrial base. However, as in so many other cases, closure is far from inevitable – and this Parliament, founded in the face of such struggles, has a duty to prevent it going the same way as so many other proud Scottish industries and brands.

In all of these cases, the workforce should have had a greater say in the future of their workplace. Scottish Labour is committed to a Common Ownership Fund aimed at doubling the size of the co-operative and employee-owned sector in Scotland. Instead of the workers at places like the Caley or McVitie’s ending up unemployed, I think that we should look at the possibility of a Marcora Law in Scotland. Workers should be assisted to take over their place of work when they face the threat of redundancy.

The Marcora Law is named after the Italian politician who pioneered it, giving workers the right and, more importantly, the financial support to buy out their place of work if it is at risk of closure and allows the establishment of a worker owned co-operative. Research by the Co-operative Party has shown that 64% of people believe that the economy would be fairer if employees could buy their business if it was at risk of sale or closure.

I will continue to campaign with the workers at McVitie’s and with their unions to try and save their jobs, but it is clear to me that we need an economy where wealth and power are shared – and where worker ownership is always a viable option.