CALLS have been made for 50 staff who left Ferguson Marine to be brought back immediately as the first act of the new management team.

Martin McCluskey, Labour's general election candidate for Inverclyde, is urging finance secretary Derek Mackay to ensure the employees who departed last week amid uncertainty over the future of the business to be brought back.

Around 50 agency staff were pulled from the shipyard by their employer prior to Friday's announcement that the Scottish Government had assumed control from Clyde Blowers Capital - the firm owned by tycoon Jim McColl that saved Ferguson's from the scrapheap in 2014 and oversaw a radical transformation of the site costing almost £30 million.

Minister Mr Mackay has brokered a deal with administrators Deloitte to retain the remaining 300 workers whilst 'seeking a buyer' over the next four weeks.

If a new commercial operator cannot be found, the government will take over.

Mr Mackay says the deal secures the long-term future of Ferguson's, its staff and will allow for the long-awaited completion of CalMac ferries MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 - the hugely-delayed and over-budget £97m government contract that brought the company to its knees for the second time in five years.

In a letter sent to the finance secretary, Mr McCluskey said: "There are three things I believe the government now needs to do.

"Firstly, publish a plan to secure the long-term future of the yard, and to ensure that the number of jobs at Ferguson's is sustained well into the future. "This means ensuring a full order book well beyond the two ferries that are currently being built.

"Secondly, re-employ the workers who were laid off last weekend.

"Their skills are essential to completing the two ferries and for future work at the yard.

"Thirdly, ensure that there is worker representation from the GMB on the board of the new company. "The workers at Ferguson's know the yard inside out and should play a key role in its recovery.

"They should not be outside the room when decisions are taken.

"These proposals would provide additional confidence to the public and the workforce."

Long-serving Ferguson's employee Alex Logan, convener of the GMB union at the yard, has reportedly joined a new 'review board', which will work alongside a fresh management team and the newly-appointed 'turnaround' director to plot a course of action to complete the ferries and revive the business.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Mackay said: "While work continues at the yard, we are working to put in place a management team which will refocus all efforts on completing this vital government contract. "We are working closely with staff and the trades unions - as well as suppliers and customers - to achieve the best possible outcome for the yard."