DAVID Cameron has decided that his final legacy is going to be a new generation of the Trident nuclear weapons system. The Westminster debate on July 18 will result in a hollow vote on a vanity project (“Troops on Russian border as PM reaffirms Nato role”, The Herald, July 8).
It is now widely accepted that there will be a second Scottish independence referendum within the next few years. All but two of Scotland's MPs will vote against Trident. The SNP, the Greens and Scottish Labour all oppose Trident. There has been a strong political commitment to the principle of removing all nuclear weapons from Scotland.
If we become independent, Trident has nowhere else to go in the UK. It is conceivable with at least 15 years construction work, huge additional expenditure and overcoming strong local opposition that some alternative might be found but in reality when Scotland says leave, Trident will not be viable.
There are few jobs in Scotland dependent on Trident. Faslane currently does other work and with independence would be a general naval base. Scotland will get none of the Trident renewal jobs. Submarine work, missile work, warhead work and all the servicing will be done in the US and England.
I am sure that SNP MPs will give notice to Westminster that an independent Scotland will take no responsibility for the cost of the Trident renewal programme and will insist on its removal.
Isobel Lindsay,
9 Knocklea Place, Biggar.
NOT content with dragging Scotland out of the EU against its wishes, but not staying around to pick up the pieces, David Cameron is now determined to impose on us another 50 years of Trident as his parting gift. No doubt he’ll be propped up in this by the Parliamentary Labour Party shortly before it completely disintegrates.
Is it any wonder people are cynical about politicians? The sooner Scotland is out of this mess, the better.
Brendan Hamill,
49 Argyll Road, Kinross.
THE debate regarding the renewal of Trident is coming back and the Scottish Government will again strongly object. However, the decisions made shortly will only become reality in some 20 years.
The track record of the SNP to predict the future is not good, for example the oil price. Twenty years after the end of First World War Hitler came to ascendency and resulted in the Second World War, something few people predicted. If we do not renew Trident, what would the SNP do if North Korea or Iran or another country threatened to use their nuclear warhead because of a reason similar to that Russia used to justify their takeover of Crimea and we had no nuclear deterrent?
A lot can happen in 20 years and the Government of whatever political persuasion has a duty to protect its citizens in 2040 as well as 2016.
Richard Wiggins.
Auchincruive Avenue, Prestwick.
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