John Swinney has defended his Government’s policy of refusing funding for “munitions” projects, after it a £2.5 million grant for a Rolls-Royce welding skills centre was witheld because of its link to work on submarines.
The SNP has been accused of hypocrisy, as Ferguson Marine — the Scottish Government-owned shipyard in Port Glasgow — is subcontracted by BAE in the programme to build Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy.
READ MORE
- SNP accused of hypocrisy in arms funding row as Ferguson Marine works on frigates
- Unions call for Ministers to intervene in bitter Scottish Water dispute
- The best journalism in Edinburgh – now just £1 for 3 months
During a campaign stop in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the First Minister’s position was “stupid and dangerous”.
“I think you should ask John Swinney, quite clearly, whether he wants to live in the real world or if he thinks he's a university student in the debating chamber.
“If he says there's no public money going towards munitions, what are we going to Uber the missiles in? Are we going to Deliveroo the equipment if someone tries to attack us? It is completely and utterly incoherent, frankly stupid and dangerous, and it demonstrates why he’s not fit to lead our country.”
The UK Government has said it is prepared to provide the shortfall if the economic development agency refuses to step in.
Asked if the SNP policy should change, given the current geopolitical situation, the First Minister said: “The Scottish Government has got a long-standing policy that we do not use public expenditure to support the manufacture of munitions.
“That has been a policy position that has been well set out and well understood within Parliament for many years.
“As you would expect, it has been applied in this case in the proper fashion.”
Asked about the hypocrisy given the work on the frigates, Mr Swinney said: “Obviously, the application of policy has been designed to be applied in this particular case on the basis of the relationship to the manufacture of munitions.
“That contradicts the Government’s policy, so it cannot be supported.”
He argued that defence was currently reserved, and therefore munitions spending was the purview of the Westminster government.
READ MORE
- Find all articles on the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election here
- The Herald responds after Farage falsely accuses paper of colluding with protesters
- Douglas Ross accuses Presiding Officer of misleading Holyrood in bias row
Mr Swinney was also asked why declined to attend an official briefing on the Strategic Defence Review, unveiled by the Prime Minister in Glasgow on Monday.
The First Minister was instead campaigning in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, and passed it on to Graeme Dey, a junior minister.
Mr Swinney said: “Well, there was an offer of a phone call from the UK Government minister, and it was taken by the relevant minister in the Scottish Government, and that is how we operate normally.”
In Holyrood on Tuesday, Enterprise Minister Richard Lochhead insisted the Scottish Government “very much values” the defence sector and said enterprise agencies had allocated £45 million to defence companies since the SNP came to power.
Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said the position was not just “incoherent”, but “grossly hypocritical, totally hypocritical”.
Pressed by Labour’s Paul Sweeney, who warned the refusal had sent a “toxic signal” to investors, Mr Lochhead said the Government’s focus was on “skills development and diversification” within the defence sector.
Willie Rennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats challenged ministers on their defence vision for an independent Scotland.
“Where will we buy them from? Will we make them ourselves, and if it is not the taxpayer who is going to fund them? These are serious questions that highlight the inconsistency in the SNP approach. So will an independent Scotland have any munitions at all?”
Mr Lochhead said “of course an independent Scotland would have conventional defence forces”.
Share