SNP's 'outdated dogma' over armed forces spending is threat to national security
The SNP has been accused of putting 'outdated dogma' above the interests of national security in a dramatic escalation of a war of words over defence spending.
Holyrood ministers have refused to back down from the party's policy against funding companies involved in munitions manufacturing.
In a letter to the First Minister, Labour MP Graeme Downie, accused him of 'willing to place outdated SNP dogma regarding the UK armed forces and defence sectors above the security of our country'
Downie, whose constituency is home to a number of UK defence contractors, said: 'If it is the policy of your government that public money should not be spent on ammunition and military equipment to defend our country, can I ask if you believe our armed forces should have equipment at all and, if so, how would you otherwise suggest this is funded?
The row came after Sir Keir Starmer pledged to increase defence spending and make the UK battle ready, supporting more than 25,000 jobs in the sector in Scotland.
But it emerged the Scottish Government was refusing financial support to a welding site in Glasgow because the project involved an 'attack submarine'.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon told the BBC Sunday Show that public money should not be spent on ammunition or military equipment.
She was defending the Scottish Government's failure to support the creation of thousands of jobs by Rolls-Royce, adding that the SNP had a 'long-standing' policy against giving money to munitions companies.
A major row ensued with Rolls-Royce disputing that it is a 'munitions' company, while John Healey, the Labour UK Government defence secretary, said he could 'hardly believe' a Scottish nationalist government would stand in the way of skills development in Scotland.
Yesterday Scottish Labour deputy leader, Dame Jackie Baillie, told the MSPs at Holyrood: 'The Scottish Government's position is frankly incoherent and their policy on state funded aid for defence is all over the place and applied selectively.'
She pointed out that the Government-owned shipyard Ferguson Marine is carrying out subcontractor work for the Royal Navy's Type 26 frigate programme - arguing 'there are munitions on the frigate'.
Dame Jackie asked: 'What does the Government believe the Army, the Navy and the air force should defend the country with?
'Pea shooters, bows and arrows, a telling off?'
SNP business minister Richard Lochhead who was in the firing line said the SNP administration 'values the role of the defence sector' north of the Border and had allocated £45million of support to defence companies through enterprise agencies.
He said governments must take into account 'ethical considerations' when funding the sector.
Meanwhile, Mr Downie also raised serious concerns in his letter to the FM that Scottish ministers were routinely failing to acknowledge the importance of Scotland's defence industry and its workforce.
He said: 'I am sure that these recent manoeuvres by your Ministers to undermine their work will be deeply felt and is something, I hope, you would wish to distance yourself from.
'A failure to do so would, sadly, lead me to the conclusion that you are and the opportunity to provide a pathway to highly skilled jobs across Scotland, particularly for young people from working class communities in constituencies such as mine.'
'I hope you will see the inconsistency and ludicrous nature of the position adopted by the Cabinet Secretary over the weekend.
Last year we revealed how SNP Ministers had failed to meet Babcock for three years. One of the UK's largest engineering firms it works on the Royal Navy's Dreadnought Class nuclear submarines and runs a Naval yard at Rosyth, Fife.
Both John Swinney and Kate Forbes neglected to attend the steel-cutting ceremony for the new HMS Formidable frigate - despite it representing a significant milestone in the construction of Type 31 frigates.
Ministers were also absent from the steel-cutting ceremony for HMS Birmingham at BAE Systems' Govan yard in April 2023, part of the £4.2billion Type 26 frigate programme.
The row over Rolls-Royce, which is ready to support an enormous submarine welding centre in Glasgow, came after it was revealed a £2.5million grant from Scottish Enterprise was withheld due to a party ban on 'munitions' funding.
Steve Carlier, president of submarines at Rolls-Royce, warned the FM the project 'cannot continue' without the public funding.
A Scottish Government spokesman repeated its long-standing policy position is that it does not use public money to support the manufacture of munitions.
He added: 'We recognise the importance of the aerospace, defence and shipbuilding sectors for Scotland's economy, and are committed to ensuring Scotland is the home of manufacturing and innovation. Ministers continue to engage with industries across the country, including the defence sector, as part of this work. 'We have received the letter and will respond in due course.'
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