CLYDEBANK'S MP has called for a House of Commons debate of the long-term impact of the blitz on the town and other parts of the UK.

Martin Docherty-Hughes raised the subject less than two weeks before the 78th anniversary, to be marked as always on March 13 and 14.

He said the social, economic and psychological consequences of the Clydebank Blitz, the worst civilian loss of life by population of the war and then a mass exodus of 40,000 men, women and children to refuge across the west of Scotland and beyond.

On the 75th anniversary in 2016, Mr Docherty-Hughes took eight minutes to read out each of the 562 named victims of the Blitz. An estimated 1,200 people died from a population of 48,000.

It took 75 years before the death toll and destruction were raised in the House of Commons and Clydebank's MP raised it twice today, both to the leader of the house, and during defence questions.

Read more: New plaque for Blitz heroes to be erected in Clydebank

Mr Docherty-Hughes told the House: "My constituency is best known by many for its shipping history, whether it be John Brown and Company of Clydebank or Denny of Dumbarton.

"For the 78th year in a row, my community, including my family and friends, will gather once again to commemorate those we lost in what was described by a minister in an adjournment debate three years ago as the 'worst blitzkrieg' in the history of the Second World War proportionally anywhere in the United Kingdom.

"Does the minister agree that it is now time that this House considered in a general debate in government time the long-term economic and social consequences as well as the mental health consequences of aerial bombardment on the communities that suffered it across these islands?

"It is about time that we learned the lessons from it, given that the impact of it is felt by so many other communities across the world."

Andrea Leadsom MP, leader of the House, said Clydebank's MP was right to raise the issue. She encouraged him to go to a backbench committee on how to "better commemorate these appalling acts".

She said: "I pay tribute to him for all the work that he does in his community to commemorate the appalling bombardment.

"He is absolutely right to raise the fact that this is the reality for far too many people right across the world today with appalling consequences not just of physical injury and harm, but to mental health and the long-term effects of suffering from constant bombardment.

"I encourage him to go to the backbench business committee and see whether there is an appetite for a cross-party debate on this subject so that we can consider together how we might better commemorate these appalling acts."

The MP also raised the Blitz during a debate on the "better defence estate" on Thursday morning.

Public commemorations for the Clydebank Blitz will be held on Saturday, March 9 at Dalnottar Cemetery at 11am and at Solidarity Plaza at 11.30am.

Speaking after his time in the Commons, Mr Docherty-Hughes told the Post: "I was privileged to have the opportunity to highlight the forthcoming commemorations and welcome the opportunity to bring forward a debate on the long-term economic and social impact of aerial bombardment on communities across the UK.

"I'm delighted that I am already gaining all-party support for it."

The 2016 debate in the House of Commons about the Clydebank Blitz can be found here.