Party rewrites ‘out of date’ defence policy to prepare for indyref2

The SNP is to rewrite Angusrobertson’sdefence blueprint for an independent Scotland that was rejected by voters in the 2014 referendum. Mr Robertson was responsible for the SNP’S military policies that formed the basis of the Scottish Government’s independencewhitepaper.

Newplansfora“bespoke” Scottish defence policy are being worked on by a panel of six SNP MPS led by Mr Robertson’s successor as defence spokesman, Brendan O’hara.

At a fringe event at SNP conference, Mr O’hara suggested they would reject a key proposal of Mr Robertson – that an independent Scotland should inherit a share of UK military hardware.

Mr O’hara admitted SNP defence plans were “out of date”.

He said: “One of the big debates we ought to have is what do we do with the military assets? Do we start from scratch? Do we take an eight per cent share or nine per cent share of them? And if we do take a nine per cent share, what do we take? What are the maintenance contracts?

“I personally am very much of the opinion that if we adopt the nine per cent share of hardware, then we are pushed down a road from which it is very difficult to come back.

“And I don’t you think you can have a bespoke independent Scottish defence policy if you are immediately saddled with taking eight/nine per cent of military hardware assets.”

Mr O’hara confirmed the party’s opposition to nuclear weapons, adding it was “inconceivable” the SNP would use nuclearpowered submarines.

Stirling MP Steven Paterson said the SNP expects to spend around 1.6 per cent of GDP on defence – about the European Union and Nato average but less than Nato’s recommendation of at least two per cent.