Keir Starmer's defence expansion plan 'will bring tens of billions of investment into Scotland'
Military intelligence experts say thousands of jobs will be created as billions are ploughed into key Scots locations.
Keir Starmer's massive defence expansion plan will mean tens of billions of investment in Scotland's economy, leading military intelligence experts have told the Sunday Mail.
Thousands of jobs will be created north of the border after the Prime Minister travelled to Glasgow last week to announce the largest sustained increase in MoD spending since the Cold War in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR).
One of the authors of the report, Fiona Hill, yesterday warned Russia is already 'at war' with the UK, and said America is no longer a reliable ally against Vladimir Putin.
And to counter the threat Philip Ingram, a former senior intelligence and security officer in the British Army, has told the Sunday Mail Scotland will need to play a leading role in an 'always on' ship building drive on the River Clyde, upgraded nuclear capability at Faslane, and a massive RAF expansion at Lossiemouth.
He revealed billions will also need to be invested with established Scottish tech companies to develop drones, satellites, battlefield communications systems, missiles and guidance systems over the next decade.
Ingram said: 'This is the first review in recent history that has been about increasing capability rather than cutting it and there is also pressure now coming from NATO not to just increase defence budgets to 2.5per cent of GDP, but to go to 3.5per cent and even higher.
'To put that in number terms our current defence budget is around £65.6billion. If we even go up to three per cent that takes you to £85billion and 3.5per cent takes you to just short of £100billion.
'Given Scotland's established military ship building, the fact that it is already the base for our nuclear fleet, and Scotland's position in supporting our defence industry generally, this will definitely mean tens of billions of pounds of new money going into the Scottish economy.
'It is going to mean thousands of new jobs for the civilian labour market in very high tech industries and that will stimulate a lot more requirements for people coming through Scottish universities and schools with technology and engineering skills.
'It also means much more money coming into supply chain industries right down to the burger vans because there are more people going to work with more money in their pockets who will be spending it in local communities.
'In town and cities where the high street is suffering this can stimulate a turn around. This is why the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is saying that investing in defence will underpin her strategy for growth.
'You are effectively taking taxpayers' money and instead of spending it overseas you are spending it on British manufacturing and that money is filtering through into the service industry and local communities.
'Companies for example working with drones or novel materials or new ways of communicating - and there are a lot of these companies in Scotland and Scottish Universities are focussing on this - there is big money coming, it is win win.'
Keir Starmer launched the SDR alongside Defence Secretary John Healey at BAE Systems in Govan, Glasgow, last week.
He promised to implement all of its 62 recommendations which included multi-billion pound expnasions of the Army, Navy and Air Force, new nuclear submarines, more soldiers, new weapons and equipment.
Scotland was described as a 'linchpin', with generations of skilled workers to benefit from apprenticeships, jobs and rewarding careers in defence as spending increases to 3.5per cent of GDP in the next parliament.
Ingram added: 'It is definitely not wrong to see this as tens of billions coming into Scotland. They way things are going with the international community it is not unrealistic at all.
'America, who traditionally supply a lot of defence equipment, has effectively shot itself in the foot because the UK and everyone else has been until now been buying from America because they had the capacity and it was cheaper to rely on them.
'But Trump has at the same time as pressurising people to increase defence capacity also turned around and said we might not support you if it came to war, we may not supply you if you are not in Donald Trump's good books.
'That was a Gerald Ratner moment, like saying all my jewellery is s**t, so there is now an opportunity for us to not only to manufacture our own defence equipment but to also start taking over parts of the global market.
'The UK is already the second biggest defence exporter in the world and we can quite easily build on that, and a big slice of that pie would go to Scotland.'
As part of the SDR commitment the UK Government will spend around £11billion on front line kit and build at least six new munitians factories with Scotland a likely base for some of the investment given its established weapons companies.
Around 7000 long range weapons will be built and the UK's aircraft carriers are to become 'hybrid air wings' housing drones, jets and long-range weapons.
A hybrid Royal Navy that uses aircraft, drones, warships, submarines to patrol the north Atlantic around Scotland and beyond will be created as part of a military which will become '10-times more lethal' according to ministers.
New F-35 jets, Typhoon jets and autonomous aircraft will be commissioned alongside expanded warship building operations.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: 'From Faslane to Lossiemouth, the importance of Scotland to our defence capabilities cannot be overstated; it provides vigilance and protection for everyone across the UK.
'With threats increasing, the SDR is clear on the need to move to warfighting readiness to boost deterrence and to grow our defence industry across the country.
'Scotland will be a linchpin in making Britain safer, with more generations of skilled Scottish workers benefiting from apprenticeships, jobs and rewarding careers in defence.'
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'Why defence announcement in legendary Govan shipyards felt personal for me'
by Joani Reid, MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven and grand-daughter of legendary ship-building trade unionist Jimmy Reid
Why does a political party like Labour exist?
It's simple: to ensure that the wealth generated by working people, from electronic communication to shipbuilding and defence, is shared fairly and that the jobs created allow everyone to live decent, dignified lives.
Our communities famously fought to keep the Upper Clyde shipyards open because they understood the dignity that hard, well-paid jobs brought to working people and their families.
The UCS work-in wasn't about ideology but respect and survival. Tory ministers couldn't grasp why working people wouldn't quietly accept their jobs were surplus to requirements, and why they fought back against the devastating reality that closure would bring to their families and communities.
This came into sharp focus for me this week as I stood in those same Govan shipyards at the launch of Labour's Strategic Defence Review. It felt personal. Here was Labour returning to Govan—not with empty promises but with real investment, real jobs, and a real future.
For the first time in decades, government ministers came to announce billions in investment for Scotland, not just crumbs from an ever-shrinking cake. This investment will deliver thousands of high-quality, skilled jobs for our young people.
But new defence industries don't appear overnight. To grow our industrial base, we need active government support and substantial investment in skills and infrastructure.
Yet, incredibly, the SNP blocked a £2.5 million grant for a specialist welding centre in Glasgow last week due to their misguided opposition to defence-related spending. John Swinney's opposition is disgraceful. If he agrees Scotland needs armed forces, what exactly does he expect them to be armed with—paper darts?
Investment isn't only about industry; it's also about properly caring for those who serve our country. The deplorable state of our defence estate urgently needs addressing.
During my recent visit to Faslane, I saw condemned buildings riddled with unsafe concrete and personnel accommodation infected with legionnaires' disease—a regular occurrence, I'm told, due to outdated infrastructure.
Service personnel described the poor conditions they endure daily, conditions that undermine morale and weaken our readiness. This shocking neglect from the SNP government and previous Tory administrations must end. The SNP must drop its ideological boycott of Faslane and ensure Scotland fully benefits from defence-related investments.
Nobody wants conflict, but conflict may still find us. Putin's invasion of Ukraine shows that war in Europe isn't confined to the history books. It's a stark reminder that we live in unpredictable times, requiring vigilance and readiness.
We must maximise our deterrent power and capacity to prevail in any potential conflict, whether on land, sea, air, or cyberspace. Protecting our way of life, values, and people demands this preparedness.
Scotland must be at the heart of this renewal. Our people have always volunteered bravely for the front lines; now we must also lead in building advanced industries to counter the threats of the 21st century.
Scottish innovation and ingenuity can position us as global leaders in cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and green defence technologies. Achieving this demands coordinated effort, targeted investment, and genuine commitment from our government.
I'm immensely proud of our marine engineering heritage at Govan and Rosyth. But let's not overlook our broader industrial strength: manufacturing in Scotland is 60% higher in real terms than at the turn of the century.
With world-class universities, skilled workers, and a robust industrial legacy, the foundations for becoming a global defence engineering powerhouse already exist—we just need to strengthen them further.
Sixty years ago, strength in the shipyards meant muscle power—tough jobs for tough people. Today, it's about skills in chemistry, physics, maths, and cutting-edge technology.
The Duke of Wellington once claimed the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton. The next battles will be won in our high schools, colleges, and universities.
Let's position Scotland at the forefront, leading the charge for jobs and opportunity. Our children deserve nothing less.
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