THE Save Inchgreen campaign has won the backing of the Alba Party for its push to see Clydeport nationalised.

Party general secretary Chris McEleny, a former Gourock councillor, says Alba is supporting the pressure group's Holyrood petition to bring the ports and harbours on the River Clyde into public ownership.

In an official submission on the Scottish Parliament Citizen Participation & Public Petition Committee, Mr McEleny said: "We commend the Campaign to Save the Inchgreen Drydock group for their tireless work to fight for a better future and highly skilled jobs in the face of a distinct lack of support from Inverclyde Council, its councillors, its MSP and its MP.

"The Alba Party calls on the Scottish Government to nationalise Clydeport and revoke the status of Peel Ports Group (Clydeport) as Harbour Authority for the River Clyde, create a publicly owned authority to manage the river Clyde and compulsory purchase Inchgreen Drydock and create a Community Trust to manage it."

Mr McEleny's submission added that it was regrettable that lands and assets such as Inchgreen which 'should be in the hands of the local community are in the hands of a private company'.

He said: "Millions of pounds have been given in public funds, yet the local community has seen little to no financial return.

"Alba strongly believes in the importance of public ownership for critical infrastructure."