IT was the news the Government wanted out days ago – in a bid to bury the disastrous jobs blow that has cost the jobs of almost 1,000 workers in Hampshire.

The Daily Echo was told how Whitehall was pushing to sign the City Deal at a high profile event last Wednesday, just as it was announced that shipbuilding in the county will be no more.

But furious city council leader Simon Letts and his Portsmouth counterpart, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, stepped in and demanded the news about winning the deal should not bury the news about the jobs disaster.

Cllr Letts said: “ What we didn’t want is for the Government to pretend that the City Deal is compensation for the decision to shut the yard – because it is not.”

In the wake of the shipyard closure news, Cllr Letts described how he “ threw his toys out of the pram”

and managed to negotiate a further £2m from the Government to support those affected.

Last night, Sally Lynskey said: “ We welcome the tough stance that Cllr Letts has taken standing up for the city and the wider region.

“ He is clearly passionate about the need for Southampton and Portsmouth to be treated fairly in the wake of the news from BAE Systems.

“ We welcome the news that he has also been able to negotiate more money to help those families affected by the end of shipbuilding in Portsmouth.