Grangemouth £200m injection a chance to finally win the public back on side

However, in the form of Grangemouth, there is a chance to re-set the narrative and do something overwhelmingly positive that could win some voters back on side, at least here in Scotland.

Sir Keir Starmer took a small step towards achieving that goal in announcing £200 million of funding yesterday to find a viable future for Grangemouth.

The Prime Minister used his platform at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow to make the long-awaited announcement – one that figures even within his own party, such as Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman, have been demanding.

The money, to be drawn from the UK government’s national wealth fund, will be used to “work alongside partners to develop viable proposals” for the Grangemouth site, Sir Keir has said.

The Prime Minister referenced bioengineering, biofuels and hydrogen energy as potential options for the industrial hub.

However, the more significant challenge for Labour – and the one that will properly impress on voters it is a party capable of delivering – will rest on what happens next.

As Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, spelled out yesterday, the extra £200m will need to be “used correctly” if it is to have a “transformative impact”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added: “It is essential that all stakeholders come together to put the meat on the bones and that this investment counts for jobs and our security.”

Money will not be enough without a wider vision. And for the workers involved – and the wider supply chain – the practical solutions need to be found quickly. The clock is ticking.