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The National
04-08-2025
- Business
- The National
Labour defence spending 'one of most inefficient ways' to create jobs
It comes as the UK Government has gone all in on the idea of growth through military spending. It was one of the key tenets of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) – which was published in June and accepted in its entirety by Labour. 'The SDR will help make defence an engine for growth—boosting prosperity, jobs and security for working people across the UK,' the document read. READ MORE: Keir Starmer's defence plan will not make UK safer, says ex-UN adviser Keir Starmer quickly announced the [[UK Government]] would open six new munitions factories, build up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines and invest £15 billion in nuclear warheads – as well as a raft of other commitments. 'Through this strategy we will bring the whole of society with us, creating jobs, growth and wages for working people,' the Prime Minister said. In Scotland, meanwhile, Ian Murray launched a £250 million investment at the base housing the UK's nuclear weapons – HMNB Clyde at Faslane – in July, to be spent over the next three years to improve infrastructure at the site. The Scottish Secretary described the spending as a 'defence dividend' as he also talked up the economic impact of investing in the sector in Scotland, including through the Clyde 2070 programme, which will see billions pumped into the industry in the coming decades. But the extent to which this investment will positively impact Scotland and create jobs across the UK is a matter of debate. It's not that jobs won't be created, James Meadway – who is the host of the podcast Macronomics – told The National. Defence minister John Healey 'Look. If the government spends a bit more money on something in the real world, it will – other things being equal – mean that there is more economic activity,' the economist, who is also a member of the Progressive Economy Forum and a former economic adviser to the shadow chancellor, said. 'There'll be a bit more growth somewhere, there'll be a few more jobs somewhere. That's kind of what's going to happen.' He added: 'The trouble is it's just not very many for the obvious reason that if you look at military investment now and the kind of things that arms companies are producing – this is all really high tech stuff,' he said. 'This is not just churning out millions of shells or bullets. This is stuff that you use a great deal of high technology to produce, and that is also quite high technology. And if you are producing millions of shells, it's also now very capital intensive, rather than labour intensive, due to big machines making them.' Meadway added: 'And if you've got lots of high-tech stuff, like you're making drones and you're making quite sophisticated drones. It's capital intensive. You don't have many people employed doing it. You don't actually create many jobs and investment. 'So, as a starting point, if the Government is saying military spending, ramping up defence production will create more jobs, this is a bad way to do that.' He went on: 'The stuff that really creates jobs, it's actually probably fairly obvious. If you go to the NHS and you put more money into that, that means you're pretty immediately going to employ more nurses, more doctors, more people to your hospitals – all sorts of people working in a pretty labour-intensive healthcare occupation. 'Same thing goes for social care, same thing goes for education, to a significant extent. If you spend more on schools, you're going to need to employ more teachers. So, these things create lots of jobs. Military spending does not create lots of jobs.' Mark Seddon, a professor of economic history at Sheffield University and the director of the Centre for United Nations Studies, also suggested that defence spending was an inefficient way of creating jobs. READ MORE: 'Building new royal naval craft, ships and submarines at Govan or Barrow-in-Furness, that's got to be a good thing. I'm all in favour of keeping skilled jobs and expanding them in key sectors like that,' he said. 'But I'm not persuaded by this substantial increase in defence spending that it's going to actually result in a lot of jobs in Britain.' Seddon added: 'It's not just the [[UK Government]], but the EU – which to my mind is becoming synonymous with NATO – seem to have a policy, which is increasing military spending in an effort to save their economy. "I don't think it will, I think it makes life a lot easier for the extreme-right politically, and I don't think it's going to bring jobs in any large numbers into the industrial areas.'
The National
16-07-2025
- Business
- The National
£250m cash injection for nukes branded 'gimmick'
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray travelled north of the Border on Wednesday to visit HMNB Clyde at Faslane to unveil the investment alongside Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle. 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.'
The Sun
13-07-2025
- The Sun
Royal Navy sailor arrested over bomb hoax on nuclear submarine which sparked fears of doomsday meltdown
A ROYAL Navy sailor has been arrested over a bomb hoax on a nuclear-armed submarine. His alleged threat, thought to have been a prank, sparked fears of a doomsday meltdown, sources said. The suspect, a Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard, was said to have called in the bomb warning to the submarine's main control room. It triggered lockdown at HMNB Clyde where Britain's nuclear deterrent vessels are based, with a bomb squad racing to the scene in Faslane. A source said: 'The suspect was working in the rear of the boat, in the engineering control room, and allegedly called up front to the main control room and claimed there was a bomb on board. 'It's not clear if he lost the plot or if it was a stupid prank that went horribly wrong. 'The person who took the call believed it was credible and triggered a full emergency response. 'They did a quick draw and the base piped orders to the Royal Marines to guard the jetty and the submarine hatches to make sure no one could come on or off.' The suspect was subsequently held. The Royal Navy said: 'We can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy is under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command for a bomb hoax.' Royal Navy sailors are set to be housed on a barge like the Bibby Stockholm in a bid to save cash on hotels 1
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Royal Navy commander facing six months in jail for drunken assault on a comrade
A ROYAL Navy commander faces six months in jail and the sack after drunkenly battering a comrade at a nuclear missile base. Lieutenant Commander Gary Fletcher, who works HMNB Clyde in Faslane, was convicted of 'misconduct through alcohol or drugs' and battery. 1 A Royal Navy commander faces six months in jail and the sack after drunkenly battering a comrade Credit: PA It comes after A fourth sub commander is due to stand trial for over claims of a drug-fuelled sex assault on a junior. And the former Lt Cdr Fletcher served as a logistics officer at the doomsday submarine base home to the UK's nuclear deterrent. READ MORE ON NAVY He is due to be sentenced on Tuesday. It is the latest scandal to rock the silent service after Whistleblower Sophie Brook revealed comrades had made 'crush depth rape lists' of comrades they would assault of their submarine was doomed. Her captain punched her in the kidneys, licked her ear and blew on her neck, an investigation found. Most read in The Sun In a separate case, Lt Cdr John Cursiter, 46, was charged with possessing illegal drugs, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The former executive officer of HMS Vanguard, a doomsday missile sub, could face up to five years in prison. The UK has four Vanguard class submarines armed with doomsday nuclear missiles and one is always on patrol. It is known as the Continuous At Sea Deterrent and always ready to strike back in the event of nuclear war A Royal Navy spokesperson said: "The Royal Navy holds its personnel to the highest standards of conduct. Any allegations of unacceptable or criminal behaviour are thoroughly investigated, and those found guilty will face serious consequences. 'It would be inappropriate to provide further comment while legal proceedings are taking place'.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Royal Marine guarding nuclear weapons grilled by terror cops over alleged neo-Nazi links
Security sources said he was grilled over his extremist views and links to far-right groups 'NAZI' LINK Royal Marine guarding nuclear weapons grilled by terror cops over alleged neo-Nazi links Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A ROYAL Marine guarding nuclear weapons has been grilled by counter-terror police over alleged neo-Nazi links. Commando John Carr was interviewed last week when he flew to Scotland. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 John Carr serves with 43 Commando, guarding the UK's Trident 2 missiles and nuclear submarines 3 Carr was interviewed last week over alleged neo-Nazi links Credit: YouTube He said it was 'political bullying' as he had campaigned against women joining the Marines, which he claimed lowered physical standards. But security sources said he was grilled over his extremist views and links to far-right groups. Carr serves with 43 Commando, guarding the UK's Trident 2 missiles and nuclear submarines at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, in Argyll and Bute. The Sun understands he is a member of the far-right Homeland Party — which splintered from a neo-Nazi party in 2023. Speaking on YouTube Carr said: 'I am a member of a political party. 'I don't think it's their business or anyone's business to know what that is, but know that it isn't the main political party. 'It isn't Labour.' Carr lost his security clearance and will work from home pending an investigation. Police Scotland declined to comment. 3 Carr serves at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, in Argyll and Bute Credit: Alamy
