At least 1,500 people in Scotland have been told they will lose their manufacturing jobs just since the start of this year, a statistic which will call into question the insistence by Jack McConnell, the First Minister, that the economy is improving.
• Jobs disaster for Scotland as computer firm quits the country
• 700 to go as production is stopped
• Losses may have crucial impact on forthcoming Dunfermline by-election
We're in the Brown stuff alright !