LABOUR’S SCOTTISH DEFENCE CUTS CONTINUE

LABOUR’S SCOTTISH DEFENCE CUTS CONTINUE

ROBERTSON ROUNDS ON MOD OVER RAF UNCERTAINTY

The SNP has demanded answers over the long-term future of Scotland’s RAF bases following a statement by the Defence Secretary in the Commons. SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson Angus Robertson MP also hit out at the £4.3bn defence underspend and 9,500 defence job losses in Scotland since Labour came to power.

Mr Robertson, the MP for Moray which includes RAF Kinloss and Lossiemouth, said:

“At a time when our forces are already overstretched and under-resourced it is outrageous that the Defence Secretary has surrendered to the Treasury and is set on cutting RAF bases and programmes.

“The fact is that over recent years £4.3bn less has been spent on defence in Scotland than has been contributed by taxpayers in Scotland, and 9,500 defence jobs have been lost in Scotland since Labour came to power.

“Bob Ainsworth’s statement raises more questions than it answers, and prolongs the uncertainty for service personnel and their families. No word on what the staffing implications are for Scottish bases, nothing on the operational impact and nothing on spending implications or how these changes will impact on Labour’s massive defence underspend in Scotland.

“With our forces fighting a war in Afghanistan it is inexplicable that the MoD are set to cut back conventional forces, while continuing with plans to squander billions on Trident nuclear weapons renewal.

“Downing Street keeps making the wrong choices on cuts whether its equipment, training, bases closed and downgraded or regiments amalgamated or disbanded while blowing billions on a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons.”