£250m cash injection for nukes branded 'gimmick'
The UK Government said that the money would ensure the base – located less than 40 miles from Scotland's largest city – could store the next generation of nuclear submarines.
But the Scottish Greens said Labour were throwing money 'into the bottomless pit of money that is the Trident nuclear weapon programme'.
Ross Greer (below), who is running to become party co-leader, said: 'Pouring hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money into military gimmicks won't make us any safer.
(Image: Gordon Terris)
'It will only take money away from the urgent work needed to lift children out of poverty and tackle the climate emergency. The only winners here are the arms companies who will make a fortune.
'The UK Government continues to use Scotland as a dumping ground for their weapons of mass slaughter. This new funding isn't going to reduce the risk of living near Faslane nor the totally unacceptable risk of transporting nuclear and explosive materials by road through Scotland's towns and cities.'
READ MORE: Ian Murray to visit Faslane to announce £250m investment in nuclear base
The West of Scotland MSP said there could 'never be justification for weapons which are only capable of indiscriminate mass killing', adding: 'The terrible legacy of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is all the warning we need from history in that regard.
'Our communities in the West of Scotland need sustainable, safe jobs and a decent safety net in the social security system. This money could have been used for that, but instead it will go straight to some of the world's biggest arms manufacturers.'
He proposed turning Faslane into a 'conventional naval base, meeting our defensive needs on the west coast for a fraction of the cost of this nuclear arsenal'.
The costs of maintaining Britain's nuclear arsenal are spiralling – and as the fleet ages, crew are forced to go on longer, riskier patrols.
A report in 2023 found that costs had increased from the previous year by £38.2 billion, a hike of 62% from 2022.
Murray defended the spend ahead of his visit, saying: 'It will ensure the Royal Navy can deliver the continuous at sea deterrent from a modern, efficient base which will result in a better environment for our hero submariners to live, work and train in.'
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