Can we please remember ( not saying it would) if this were to escalate with the Russians and the rest of Europe and UK, Scotland has the biggest target on its back in the whole of Europe. Within 20 miles of its highest population in Scotland, Glasgow (population of approximately 1 million) are the 120 warheads and Faslane is the home to the Westminster’s 6 nuclear submarines, whenever each is not on active duty. Therefore, in fact you could actually say that the lives of the people/Glasgow are seen as expendable.
No where in England would this situation be seen as tolerable if by some magic miracle (it won’t be without independence) Westminster said “right folks we have decided to move the nuclear warheads and the nuclear submarines to England which part of the UK would like to volunteer to have them? Bloody nowhere would be the answer.
Mind you Captain Tom’s family of patriots and ‘love the Union Flag could perhaps volunteer to stick them in the new extension to the house they have intended with some of the charity’s money under the heading of The Captain Tom Foundation, even though that isn’t what the people of the UK donated money for.
Now quite rightly we are all supporting the people of the Ukraine and the reaction to Putin’s invasion of it which is one that is seen as an beyond a despicable act of the Russian government. However the Palestinian people have been in the same situation for over seventy years. Their children are being killed, starved, imprisoned and tortured every single day and they don’t get the same level of support by either the UK media or the UK public. I find that an extremely galling situation that the Palestinian people don’t get a tenth of the response the Ukrainian people receive. (Michele Dorset)
Another future concern for the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent lies with the prospect of Scottish independence. Naval Base Clyde, where the United Kingdom’s SSBNs are ported, is in Scotland, at Faslane on the Gare Loch. A 2013 Scottish government white paper clearly stated that if Scotland voted for independence the following year, “we would make early agreement on the speediest safe removal of nuclear weapons a priority. This would be with a view to the removal of Trident within the first term of the Scottish Parliament following independence” (Scottish Government 2013, 14).
Although Scotland narrowly voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom’s decision to exit the European Union—a decision opposed by the majority of Scotland—could soon trigger another referendum. Although several potential relocation candidates have been identified by external analysts—such as HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth—the costs and logistics involved with relocating the United Kingdom’s SSBN force would be prohibitive and could prompt the UK Government to reconsider its current plans to modernize its nuclear deterrent (Chalmers and Chalmers 2014; Norton-Taylor 2013).
Remember whatever many politicians say they mean something else.
