SSNP COMMENT ON CUTS THREAT TO SCOTS RAF BASE and DEFENCE JOBs

 

SSNP COMMENT ON CUTS THREAT TO SCOTS RAF BASE and DEFENCE JOBs

 

Commenting on a report in today's Scottish Sunday Express that the Ministry of Defence may be planning to close RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and delay the building of one of two aircraft carriers the SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson - who represents Moray in Parliament - said:

 

“These reports are deeply alarming and will be fought tooth and nail in Moray. That huge cuts are being planned are very worrying, not least because our forces already feel overstretched and under resourced. These cuts would seriously diminish operational capabilities as well as hurt communities like Moray.

 

“The fact is that the UK government is already responsible for a £4.3 billion defence underspend in Scotland between 2002 and 2007, and 9,500 defence jobs were lost in Scotland when Labour were in power. Delaying the contracts for aircraft carriers only compounds that problem.

 

“Downing Street keep making the wrong choices on cuts – whether it’s closing bases or delaying defence contracts while blowing billions on a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons. These are the wrong choices and underline just how out of touch London can be."