Sturgeon insists warships will be built after independence
NICOLA Sturgeon has insisted an independent Scotland would have “naval capabilities” supporting the country’s shipbuilding industry as she accused Douglas Ross of “running scared” of debating the constitution.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, the Scottish Tory leader warned that “the independence movement is sinking” as he praised the UK Government after it announced a further five frigates will be constructed on the Clyde.
The UK Government announced plans to build five Type 26 frigates, at a cost of £4.2 billion, in Scotland, as a result of a contract with BAE Systems.
Mr Ross said that the vessels are “only possible because we are part of the United Kingdom”.
He added: “An investment of this scale in engineering and manufacturing jobs would not be possible if the SNP got its way.
“If the nationalists ever manage to separate Scotland form the rest of the United Kingdom, these Royal Navy ships would almost certainly be built elsewhere and the highly skilled Scottish jobs lost.”
The Tory leader highlighted comments from Professor Keith Hartley, an economics and defence expert who has advised the United Nations.
Prof Hartley has claimed he does not “see a future for a Scottish warshipbuilding industry in an independent Scotland”.
But the First Minister insisted an independent Scotland would retain a thriving ship-building sector and have a navy as a member of Nato.
She said: “I do believe that the expertise and skills of our shipbuilders on the River Clyde are world class.
“I believe they would compete successfully for work across the world, regardless of the constitutional future of Scotland.
“An independent Scotland, like independent countries all over the world, and an independent Scotland as a full member of Nato, would have naval capabilities of its own – capabilities that can and would be served and improved upon by our world-renowned ship-building industry and expertise.”
But Mr Ross asked who the public should believe, either “a First Minister who cannot build a single ferry for £250 million, or a defence expert who has advised the United Nations”.
He added: “The independence movement is sinking – it’s absolutely sinking. She is up separation creek without a paddle.
“We know that there wouldn’t be any major ships built if she got her way.
“Her own appalling record is failing to build essential ferries for Scotland’s island communities.
“The UK Government has delivered seven ships here in Scotland during her time as First Minister.”
The First Minister stressed that the first new vessel will now not come into service until 2018 which is “eight years after the proposed date”.
Ms Sturgeon added: “The original proposal back in 2010 was not for five new vessels, it was actually for 13 new vessels.
“Let’s welcome it, but let’s not rewrite history in the process.”
Mr Ross stressed that Ms Sturgeon’s government “has delivered one ferry in the same time in which the UK Government has delivered seven warships” – as he tried to compare the naval investment with the Scottish Government’s ferries fiasco.
The Scottish Conservative chief added: “That is seven warships compared with one ferry. The UK Government will now build another five frigates in Scotland, but we do not know when the SNP will complete and deliver a ferry.
“The SNP’S failure is having a real impact on people and livelihoods throughout Scotland.
“The First Minister might not want to admit that her shipbuilding record has sunk the case for independence, but will she at least accept that her government’s failure to replace lifeline ferries is doing massive damage to our island communities?”
In response, Ms Sturgeon told MSPS that “the impact on our island communities of the delays to the ferries is deeply regrettable”.
She added: “If Douglas Ross wants to talk about the interruption to food supplies across the whole of the UK that has been caused by Brexit, perhaps we might focus on that or on the £55 billion black hole at the heart of the UK finances, caused largely by a combination of Brexit and Tory economic mismanagement.
“Budgets for this government, set at a time when inflation was three per cent, are now being eroded by inflation at more than 10 per cent, which is having a devastating impact on people, businesses and public services.”
The independence movement is sinking