AN MP has failed in a last ditch plea to the Ministry of Defence to change its mind over taking a key contract for Army camouflage uniforms from a Blackburn factory.

Around 35 jobs at Cookson and Clegg on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate are under threat because of a decision to transfer the £50 million contract to Irish company Cooneen, Watts and Stone Ltd from the company's Chorley parent firm Pincroft Dying and Printing Company.

The Irish company has given the work to a Chinese factory.

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle was telling Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram that Cooneen, Watts and Stone had never supplied camouflage fabric before, no samples had been produced during the tender process and, six months from the contract being awarded, not a single metre of adequate camouflage fabric had been produced by the Chinese factory.

Mr Hoyle said Cookson and Clegg had been providing military uniforms for more than 25 years and had provided more than 90 per cent of the ministry's combat coding equipment in the last three years.

Mr Hoyle said: "The MoD procurement practice has failed. We have awarded a contract for uniforms which has ended up being produced in sweat shop conditions in a government subsidised People's Liberation Army Factory in China.

"Why did the MoD make such a mistake when it could have been produced in Lancashire by a company which has a proven track record?

"You cannot cut corners or take risks with camouflage uniforms. It is essential our troops have the correct equipment if we are to send them into combat.

"I call on the MoD to remove the contract from Cooneen, Watts and Stone immediately."

Blackburn MP Jack Straw has been lobbying Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and his deputy Mr Ingram on behalf of the firm which is planning to take legal action to try and retain the contract.

But Mr Ingram rejected his call. He told Mr Hoyle that he and Mr Hoon had "examined the contract carefully and have no grounds to change our decision."

And he rejected claims that the camouflage uniform coming from China were sub-standard.