MILITARY jobs have to be made more attractive with better conditions, according to the SNP.
The party said that recruitment plans for the army as well as opportunities for career breaks should be considered during a launch of its vision for defence plans in an independent Scotland.
Stewart McDonald, the party’s defence spokesman and Alyn Smith, foreign affairs spokesman, launched their submission to the UK Government’s integrated review yesterday - a document seen as a blueprint for defence strategy if Scotland was to separate from the union.
Their 70-point plan comes under three main themes around bolstering the foreign and commonwealth office, modernising the armed forces and creating a more resilient state.
It also suggests making the armed forces, including the threatened Black Watch, more attractive.
This week it was revealed that the famous Scottish regiment could be under threat of cuts, with UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace facing cross-party calls to remove it from the axe list.
Mr McDonald said: “We’ve outlined a whole range of things that we think can help increase recruitment.
“If you make the offer more attractive, then it will help recruitment, that’s what all the evidence shows us from other Armed Forces, all around the world.
“That comes to issues on housing, issues on pay, issues on representation, all of those things to help improve the offer will make the armed forces a more attractive career.
“As far as the Black Watch itself goes, I don’t think any Defence Secretary worth their salt would sign off on abolishing the Black Watch, not least the Scottish Defence Secretary who served in the armed forces themselves.
“I think Ben Wallace has to come out and make that clear at the earliest possible opportunity, but if we want to make sure that the Black Watch continues to flourish, as we want to see the Armed Forces do across the board, we need to improve the offer.
The document also emphasises the SNP’s opposition to nuclear weapons but states Scotland would be a key member of Nato’s North Atlantic and High Arctic defences if it were independent.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has branded the report “ delusional” and said it shows the party’s lack of understanding around defence.
He said: “The SNP’s plans for Defence are delusional. Over the years the SNP has firstly rejected NATO membership, and then more lately decided that they would want to join after all – a view that is incoherent with their views on the Deterrent and the fact that NATO is a nuclear alliance.
“Article 5 of the NATO treaty says that an attack on one member is an attack on all – collective State security doesn’t have room for the things that the SNP likes and dislikes....Or when the Nationalists unexpectedly change their minds....Again.”
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