STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW MUST INCLUDE TRIDENT

STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW MUST INCLUDE TRIDENT

The SNP has welcomed a Queen’s Speech commitment to ‘support the armed forces and undertake a Strategic Defence Review’ but called for the review to consider the issue of renewal of the Trident weapons system.

SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson Angus Robertson MP said:

“A strategic defence review is necessary to prioritise our defence needs in a changed world, and top of the list for that review must be ditching Trident.

“It will be a sham exercise if the UK Government proceeds with a strategic defence review that does not include the future of the hyper-expensive Trident programme while considering cuts to other conventional forces and operations.

“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.

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

“This strategic defence review must also take into account the defence footprint and spending in the different nations and regions of the UK. In Scotland, Labour presided over a £4.3 billion defence underspend with almost 10,000 jobs lost, and the new Conservative Lib Dem coalition must not continue that record.”