Scotland

Salmond's Scottish defence force vision

Scotland's First Minister has spoken of his vision for a Scottish Defence Force, were the nation to break away from the rest of the UK.

Alex Salmond said the set-up emerging from the Government's Strategic Defence Review of one naval base, one air base and one mobile armed brigade would be "exactly the configuration" needed for an independent Scotland.

He also said Scots wanted the UK's Trident nuclear missiles removed from the naval base at Faslane.

In an interview with BBC Scotland, Mr Salmond said: "The configuration of the Army in Scotland, the mobile brigade, which is the outcome of the defence review, looks exactly like the configuration you'd want for a Scottish defence force - so that's one naval base, one aircraft base and a mobile armed brigade.

"The great argument in favour of having a Scottish Defence Force is two-fold - one, you wouldn't have to have the biggest concentration of nuclear weapons in Western Europe situated in Scotland, which many people support the removal (of), and secondly, of course, we'd have the right to decide whether or not to participate in international engagements."

As part of the vision historic units including the Scots Guards, the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards would come under the control of an independent Scotland.

The SNP leader's vision for a Scottish Armed Forces was immediately dismissed as "laughable" by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.

He added that an independent Scotland would have to shoulder some of the costs for removing Trident.

He told the BBC's World At One programme: "The UK Armed Forces are a highly integrated and very sophisticated fighting force.

"The idea that you can sort of break off a little bit, like a square on a chocolate bar, and that would be the bit that went north of the border, is frankly laughable.

"You get them all or you get none of them. That is the simple logic with submarine bases.

"It would be an enormous exercise to rebuild the facilities that are at Faslane. It would cost billions of pounds and it would take many years.

"And obviously the cost of doing that would be factor that had to be taken into account in any reckoning on Scottish independence, if that is the way it goes."

Mr Salmond responded to the Defence Secretary's comments, telling the broadcaster: "Only somebody with the arrogance of a Westminster politician would say to the Scottish people, apparently in all sobriety, that you'd place and station weapons of mass destruction in Scotland over a period of half a century, impose substantial clean-up costs and then try to send Scotland the bill.

"I don't think that's a feasible position."

The Scottish Government previously fought to retain all three of Scotland's air force bases.
The SNP wants an independence referendum in autumn 2014.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said: "We need detailed plans setting out the capability of a Scottish Defence Force but all we get is a flimsy soundbite.

"We need to know what this force could do and how strong it would be.

"Thanks to the UK defences we have a safe and secure country and soldiers, sailors and airmen who can be a significant force for good in the world."

And shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said: "After denouncing Tory defence policies, the SNP have suddenly announced it is the best they can threaten if Scotland was independent.

"This raises huge questions about separation. Scotland knows that leaving the UK would be a huge blow to Scottish defence communities."