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By a Newsnet reporter

The SNP has welcomed comments from Steve Felice, the Global President of computer giant Dell, that the result of a Yes vote to independence would not change their commitment to Scotland.

Speaking to the Scotland on Sunday newspaper while on a visit to Scotland, Mr Felice was asked if the company would change its plans to invest in Scotland, depending on whether Scotland chose to become independent or to remain governed by Westminster.

Mr Felice replied:  “I cannot think of any difference. We are an organisation that deals with one customer at a time.  So the customer is the government here.”

Felice added that he wanted “to reiterate our commitment to Scotland”.  He said that Dell’s relationship with the country had worked “extraordinarily well”.

Dell already employs 800 staff at its Glasgow call centre.  Last year the company announced expansion plans which would see an increase in staff numbers to 1,000. 1,000.  Dell also owns the information security company SecureWorks, which has offices in Edinburgh.

The computing giant joins the list of major international companies which have stated that the forthcoming independence referendum makes no difference to their confidence in Scotland, despite repeated claims by anti-independence parties that the referendum was damaging to the economy.  

In November last year, Abu Dhabi oil giant Taqa announced plans to invest £630 million in the North Sea over the next three years.  Major investment plans in Scotland have also recently been announced by, among others, the electronics company Samsung, and the Swiss banking software company Avaloq which plans to create 500 jobs in Edinburgh over the next five years.    

Chic Brodie, SNP MSP for South Scotland and member of the Energy, Economy and Tourism Committee, said:

“I warmly welcome Mr Felice’s comments on Dell’s commitment to doing business here in Scotland, both before and after independence.

“Scotland is a fantastic place to do business with a skilled workforce, excellent resources and post-independence will become an even more attractive proposition for Dell, and other employers, when the country gains the economic levers of control and can lower levels of Corporation Tax.

“A number of global companies including; Taqa, Avaloq and Samsung are expressing their confidence in Scotland by investing and creating jobs here.

“Dell is the latest company to say they are not against Scotland taking full fiscal and political powers independence, and their comments – along with that the confidence placed in Scotland by Human Resource group Ceridian and representatives from BNY Mellon – will be a blow to the anti-independence parties’ scaremongering efforts.”


Comments  

 
#
Hing em high
2012-03-19 00:23

Now will this be reported in the MSM or should I order my pinebox waiting for them to do so?
 
 
#
PrideoftheClyde
2012-03-19 05:00

I’m waiting with bated breath to see if the BBC has this story up on their website as quick as they managed to have every negative story about Scotland’s economy in relation to independence published. (If at all)
 
 
#
Robert Louis
2012-03-19 06:49

You’ll have a very long wait.
 
 
#
oldfoggie
2012-03-19 19:13

Quoting Robert Louis:

You’ll have a very long wait.


You will have waited in vain right enough, niether the STV or the BBC deemed to go near this subject. roll on the change of government after 2014.

 

 
#
Robert Louis
2012-03-19 06:48

This is good news from Dell.

The reality is however, that any global company worth its salt, would have no problem with independence, as companies such as Dell already work with many different Governments in many guises all over the world.

Indeed, the ability of a company to work with different Governments is a sign of business competence, no more, no less.
 
 
#
edinburgh quine
2012-03-19 06:59

I hope that as much effort is put into supporting Scottish based companies as in attracting from abroad.

After all, the Scottish company’s profits remain in Scotland. Foreign investors profits go back to their home country. If I remember my economics, it’s called capital flight and although attracting these companies is extremely important, its also vital that Scotland is a good breeding ground for our home-grown companies to enlarge and prosper.
 
 
#
Saltire Groppenslosh
2012-03-19 15:00

Absolutely, I have a business that does 90% of its work in England and I’m hoping that even though there might be the possibly of poorer economic circumstances there that the work doesn’t slow down, however, if it does, I’ll be looking to make up any shortfall from the Scottish market which I hope will be a great place to do business.
 

 
#
thomsor
2012-03-19 07:48

I wish Newsnet would stop writing these good news stories. God forbid I might begin to think that the MSM & BBC Scotland have been spreading poison.
 
 
#
admiral
2012-03-19 07:56

Maybe the AIB will name names of all the companies being put off by “uncertainty” so that the Scottish Government can let them have references from all the global companies that are more than happy to invest in Scotland. That should allay their fears.

If the AIBs care at all about Scotland, it should come easily enough.

I’ll not hold my breath, though…
 
 
#
Vincent McDee
2012-03-19 11:12

What somebody here in NNS, with time in his/her hands, should be doing is a list of companies coming to invest or increasing their investment in Scotland.

I’m sure a properly worded google search would help.
 
 
#
Triangular Ears
2012-03-19 12:49

Admiral, the only companies I know of who might be put off are Michelle Mone’s, Boyd Tunnock’s and Maitland Mackie’s!
 

 
#
I Say Yes
2012-03-19 09:17

I know I am wasting my time but I am about to complain to the BBC that they only highlight negative news about Scottish Idependence and suggest they show they are unbiased by spreading this good news for a change.
 
 
#
Displaced Patriot
2012-03-19 09:19

Maybe the AIB will name names of all the companies being put off by “uncertainty” so that the Scottish Government can let them have references from all the global companies that are more than happy to invest in Scotland. That should allay their fears.

If the AIBs care at all about Scotland, it should come easily enough.

I’ll not hold my breath, though


==========================================admiral it will be no problem for them ,they will do that the day after they have given us this “positive case for the union”
That is scheduled to happen the day after Elvis does his come back show from the moon where he now lives.
 
 
#
MajorBloodnok
2012-03-19 09:51

They did publish this though. no doubt through gritted teeth.

bbc.co.uk/…/…
 
 
#
alexb
2012-03-19 10:44

Nothing about this on the E.B.C,(North Britain), branch, this morning. What a surprise.
 
 
#
Ericmac
2012-03-19 11:07

guardian.co.uk/…/…

As usual, the negative stories take precedence. Note the usual journalist educated all his life in England.
 
 
#
Ericmac
2012-03-19 11:10

How do you suggest we tackle this systemic bias?? Is there more we could do? It really makes me angry to see what is being done to the Scottish people by poisonous media stories.
 
 
#
Dundonian West
2012-03-19 11:51

Reporting Scotland,Monday  ,6-30pm top of the news? On second thoughts,perhap  s not,they bleat “we must remain impartial”.
Get lost.We see through you.
The State Broadcaster seems highly selective in it’s good news stories.
Apart from the pandas that is.
 
 
#
Dundonian West
2012-03-19 11:59

GOTCHA! Labour,Dell,200  5.
Labour,McConnel  l,in Holyrood of course—explains all.

news.bbc.co.uk/…/4264185.stm

BBC Reporting Scotland next move over to you–tonight.
 
 
#
brusque
2012-03-19 12:28

Well done Dundonian!!

There is even a quote from Jim Wallace – “Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace said: “We will continue doing all we can to secure the kind of inward investment that will help Scotland thrive in the world economy”.

eggs on face all round.
 
 
#
DJ
2012-03-19 12:46

In recent weeks the MSM including BBC have been falling over themselves to report any negative story regarding Independence. These 2 are still on the BBC website.

bbc.co.uk/…/…

bbc.co.uk/…/…

The BBC cannot defend their failure to report this story given what has gone before. Propoganda can come in many forms, and omission is an important part.
 
 
#
rapid
2012-03-19 13:06

for my own business; the long term planning has turned to “What if Scotland votes no and no”.

That’s a real worry for us because it is our opinion that Scotland will be screwed. I do not believe that it will be a “status quo” situation, I think we will be a lot worse off and I wouldn’t put it past the UK gov’t to treat us Scots like they did post ’79. I doubt that many of the MOD and NGO’s will return to Scotland after a no/no vote.

I wonder when Scottish businesses will start thinking “We have to do this”.
 
 
#
Dundonian West
2012-03-19 13:15

“I wonder when Scottish businesses will start thinking “We have to do this”.”

I’m not a politician or in business,so am not in a position to reply with any degree of accuracy.
Hope someone replies to your post.
Cheers.
 
 
#
Ericmac
2012-03-19 14:07

Quoting rapid:

for my own business; the long term planning has turned to “What if Scotland votes no and no”.

That’s a real worry for us because it is our opinion that Scotland will be screwed. I do not believe that it will be a “status quo” situation, I think we will be a lot worse off and I wouldn’t put it past the UK gov’t to treat us Scots like they did post ’79. I doubt that many of the MOD and NGO’s will return to Scotland after a no/no vote.

I wonder when Scottish businesses will start thinking “We have to do this”.



What kind of business is it?

 
 
#
Aplinal
2012-03-19 14:58

You have described my nightmare. I have plans to return to Scotland soon, but if the Scots run away feart with No/No, then I will remain part of the sad diaspora.

To quote Merida from “Brave”, “If you could change your fate, would you?”

Got to be a rallying call to all Scots who believe in their country. It’s more than the oil, it’s more than another 500 pounds, it’s more than just retaining our legal/education/health systems. It’s about our FUTURE, and that of our children, and childrens’ children!

Arise Scots, shake yourselves out of the apathy and dependency mind-set. YOU have the future in your hands, for all our sakes, don’t throw it away.
 
 
#
rapid
2012-03-19 15:12

Quoting Aplinal:

You have described my nightmare.



the tricky part is that this is not a positive way for independence to be sold; i.e. “you must vote yes otherwise we’re doomed”.

The part that I can’t get my head around is that the anti-independence parties are not providing any reason for Scottish businesses to back a no/no campaign; because there is no guarantee about what the shape of a UK version of Scotland will be post vote. I do not believe it will be the same as now.

I think we can be grown up and say publically that some kind of asset stripping has been going on – it’s not as if all the assets will suddenly return post no/no vote.

 

 
#
Saltire Groppenslosh
2012-03-19 15:07

We’ll be strip mined, gagged, starved of investment, child poverty will make what we’ve got now look like a small problem and they’ll legislate to ensure that we can NEVER achieve independence.

Just make sure that we do it THIS TIME. The price of failure and all that………

Kindest regards,

Saltire Groppenslosh
 
 
#
Robert Louis
2012-03-19 15:33

Quoting Saltire Groppenslosh:

We’ll be strip mined, gagged, starved of investment, child poverty will make what we’ve got now look like a small problem and they’ll legislate to ensure that we can NEVER achieve independence.

Just make sure that we do it THIS TIME. The price of failure and all that………

Kindest regards,

Saltire Groppenslosh




And they will once again have a mandate to mock Scotland and the people of Scotland for another three hundred years. Mind you, if Scots vote NO, then they will get, in my opinion, just exactly what they deserve.

 
 
#
xyz
2012-03-20 00:42

Indeed, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If we don’t vote yes to independence then that will be the end of Scotland. They may as well remove the name of our country from the maps and print England! from the Isle of Wight to the Shetland Isles.
 

 
#
Dundonian West
2012-03-19 15:46

O/T North Sea Video.History.Surfin’ the net.Came on this.To newbies like me,definitely of interest.

www.youtube.com/…/

Send it on—whatever.

Robert Louis above—We can’t repeat that mistake. If we do we will be stripped of all our dignity—–not as people living in Scotland,but as HUMAN BEINGS in Scotland.Dignity gone forever.

Must vote a big,big YES.
 

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