SNP SEIZE ON COALITION CONTRADICTION ON TRIDENT

SNP SEIZE ON COALITION CONTRADICTION ON TRIDENT

The SNP have seized on the contradiction in the UK coalition programme for government on the future of the Trident nuclear weapons system.

The document states “We will maintain Britain’s nuclear deterrent…Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for alternatives”.

Commenting, SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP said:

“It’s clear from the coalition programme that that the Liberal Democrats have been taken over by the Tories on Trident. You can’t commit billions to a renewal programme while, with any credibility, simultaneously claim to be examining alternatives.

“Renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system will cost £100bn over the next 20 years. David Cameron and Nick Clegg need to get real. It cannot be right to proceed with its procurement whilst aiming to cut other conventional areas of defence spending at a time when our forces need support most.

“Labour presided over a £4.3 billion defence underspend in Scotland with almost 10,000 jobs lost, and now the ConDem coalition has picked up where Labour left off.

“Anyway that you look at it; on moral, economic or political grounds, renewal of these weapons of mass destruction is untenable.”