AN election day row exploded between Tories and the unions over the timing of a "scare story" predicting mass job losses in East Lancashire's defence industry.

The Transport and General Workers Union today accused the Government of dithering and dodging over a new ammunition order, creating the risk of redundancies at Royal Ordnance factories in Chorley and Blackburn and across the country.

But furious Conservatives hit back, claiming the statement, embargoed until polling day, was a scare tactic.

They said one of the first actions of a Labour Government would be to have a defence review, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs in the armament and defence industries across Lancashire.

Royal Ordnance, owned by British Aerospace, denied there was an immediate threat to jobs and said it was hopeful of winning the new order to equip the armed forces.

TGWU national secretary Jack Dromey accused Defence Secretary Michael Portillo of delaying the process of tendering for the order and of having a hidden agenda of buying cheap, foreign supplies. He added: "Mr Portillo's bizarre bazaar will sack hundreds of defence workers in Britain's ten Royal Ordnance factories with the capacity to manufacture vital and strategic defence products."

But Ribble Valley Conservative candidate Nigel Evans rapped: "That's rubbish."

He added: "No government has supported the armament and defence industry more than this Government.

"This is a smoke screen to deflect attention away from the fact that any Labour defence review would lead to a cut in defence expenditure.

"The unions have been sat on during this election campaign but they are now showing their true colours with this scare tactic."

A Royal Ordnance spokesman said unions were pre-judging the issue and added: "It is an important contract for us and we are hopeful of getting it."

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