SNP WESTMINSTER LEADER DEFENCE TRIBUTE ON FORCES DAY

SNP WESTMINSTER LEADER DEFENCE TRIBUTE ON FORCES DAY

Marking Armed Forces Day, SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesman Angus Robertson MP has paid tribute to exceptional and critical work carried out by the armed forces in Scotland and around the world.

Mr Robertson noted that the upcoming Strategic Defence Review was an opportunity to reverse the dramatic under spend seen in Scotland over the past 13 years.

As MP for Moray, Mr Robertson represents the most service personnel in Scotland with both RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss in his constituency. He will mark Armed Forces Day at an event in Keith, Banffshire with service personnel.

Commenting, Mr Robertson said:

“Our service personnel and their families make huge sacrifices to ensure that our rights, freedoms and way of life are defended and maintained.

“Forces personnel serve our country in all parts of the world, often under the most testing and dangerous circumstances and, regretfully, too often at terrible cost.

"Armed Forces Day is an important opportunity to express our thanks and respect for the sacrifices made on our behalf.

"I have no doubt that the challenges our forces face on the frontline are made a little easier when they know that their communities back home are proud of them and wish them well."

Mr Robertson added:

“People in Scotland support our armed forces, and are proud of the nation's military tradition, but Scotland has been massively short changed on its share of defence spending over the past 13 years.

“Since the last Strategic Defence Review, the Labour Government has presided over a £5.6bn defence under spend with 10,000 defence jobs lost North of the Border.

“The forthcoming review is a chance to turn this around and prevent more damaging decline.”