Indyref2 putting warship building ‘at risk’

A senior defence economist and former United Nations consultant has warned that Rosyth’s navy shipbuilding industry would likely have no viable future in an independent Scotland.

Professor Keith Hartley from York University said warship construction could grind to a halt and thousands of jobs could be lost if Scotland were to leave the UK.

“At the moment, the industry’s future depends on the Royal Navy, and without the Royal Navy you wouldn’t have an industry,” he told MPS yesterday.

The veteran academic has previously founded a top defence journal, advised UK Government departments and has been a consultant for the UN.

He warned it was unlikely an independent Scotland would have a particularly large navy, which would mean less demand for warships being built on the Forth.

He told Westminster’s Scottish affairs committee: “Warships and defensive equipment in general are costly.

“An independent Scotland will presumably have a minute navy.

“It won’t have a demand for deep-water frigates and destroyers. It couldn’t afford them anyhow.

“I don’t know the size of the independent Scotland’s defence budget, but it’s not going to be large.

“I don’t think it’ll put a lot of resources into building advanced warships.

“I don’t see a future for a Scottish warshipbuilding industry in an independent Scotland.”

SNP MP Stewart Mcdonald said: “An independent Scotland, as a full member of Nato, will need naval capabilities that can be served and improved upon by our worldrenowned shipbuilding industry and expertise.”