Salmond urged to help Borders mills

SCOTTISH Lib Dem leader, Tavish Scott, has called on First Minister Alex Salmond to help safeguard jobs in the Borders' textile industry after Scotland's oldest cashmere factory was recently put into administration.

Scott urged Salmond to "get behind" the industry, with 170 jobs at risk after the closure of the JJ & HB 1788 Cashmere Mills in Innerleithen – home to some 2,500 people – near Peebles. Administrators BDO were called in to the firm on 5 January.

Salmond said Scott made an "important point" and he believed finance secretary John Swinney would step in to help.