Scotland’s Future

Vanguard at Faslane

Voting for Trident before the Scotland question is settled is illogical

The UK Parliament will be voting tonight on the principle of replacing Trident nuclear weapons system. It is a symbolic commitment, unconnected to any contracts or procurement timetable. Meanwhile, the government commitment to leave the EU is stoking calls for a second Scottish referendum. As the UK’s nuclear weapons submarines have their only base in Scotland, voting for Trident before coming to an agreement about the UK’s future makes no sense.

SNP MP blasts Trident ‘factsheet’ as short on facts

Andrew Learmonth from the National wrote an article outlining the criticisms of SNP MP, Kirsten Oswald, regarding a recently published factsheet by the UK Government on Trident. The article goes on to cite BASIC in outlining the projected costs of Trident renewal, and pulls quotes directly from a recent publication written by Dr. Nick Ritchie. 

Would Scotland’s nationalists disarm Trident?

The renewal of the “independent British nuclear deterrent” has met remarkably little debate in the UK. Except in Scotland, that is. This week the leader of the Scottish National party and first minister in Edinburgh, Alex Salmond, went head-to-head with Alistair Darling, the Labour leader of the ‘Better Together’ campaign, for a second live debate over next month’s referendum on Scottish independence.

Would Scotland’s nationalists disarm Trident?

The renewal of the “independent British nuclear deterrent” has met remarkably little debate in the UK. Except in Scotland, that is. This week the leader of the Scottish National party and first minister in Edinburgh, Alex Salmond, went head-to-head with Alistair Darling, the Labour leader of the ‘Better Together’ campaign, for a second live debate over next month’s referendum on Scottish independence.

Westminster pushes one million people into poverty

The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. A press release by the Scottish National Party responded to the Trident Commission by arguing that one million people live in poverty in Scotland, while at the same time Westminster wishes to spend a significant amount of money on a Trident renewal programme.

Trident report: UK at risk from nuclear attack

The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. An article in The Scotsman summarizes the findings of the report and includes commentary by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who argues that the September referendum on Scottish independence is an opportunity to abolish Trident from Scotland before it has to share in the cost of the programme.

MPs rule retaining Trident is vital to national security

The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. An article in The Herald Scotland summarizes the findings of the Commission and the stance of the major political parties on the issue of Trident Renewal. The article also includes commentary by Kate Hudson, General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, who argues that the findings of the report demonstrate the ingrained pro-Trident thinking at Westminster.