Thread: SNP to allow English military bases

AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would allow English military forces to be based north of the border after a UK split, says the SNP's defence spokesman.

Angus Robertson MP will tell the party conference in Inverness that the two newly separated nations would remain "friends and allies", so it would be "perfectly possible" to "share basing, procurement and training facilities with the rest of the present UK", even after Scotland had become a sovereign state.

The proposals appear to suggest that RAF bases, such as those at Leuchars and Lossiemouth, could be shared between Scottish and English fighter jets. It also opens up the idea of Scottish-based garrisons, such as Redford Barracks in Edinburgh and Fort George in Inverness, containing soldiers from both nations' armies. It may also mean that 45 Commando Royal Marines may be retained at its Arbroath base.

However, Robertson also says that an independent Scotland would reserve the right to "stand aside" from wars to which it was opposed. In recent years, the SNP has refused to support the war in Iraq and the Nato invasion of Kosovo.

He also asserts that an independent Scotland would have the right to remove Trident submarines from Scottish waters.

The plans were described as "complete fantasy" last night by Labour, which said the British government would have little desire to invest in a post-independent Scotland. The Conservatives claimed Robertson's plans had exposed how an independent Scotland would be entirely dependent on English co-operation for survival.

Meanwhile, military experts warned that Scotland would end up having to pay the former UK government to keep its facilities in Scotland.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...eep.5722650.jp

Sharing facilities in the spirit of friendship eh?

Hiding under an English defence umbrella on the cheap more like.

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? Anyone who thinks Scotland could even break even if left to cope on its own is overly optimistic, retaining the current standard of living and having an air force is pure fantasy.

As much as I appreciate that the Scots have the right to decide their own fate when it comes to devolution I would be extremeley peeved off should the Union be split and Scotland become a seperate nation.
As for this sham of trying to create a defenece policy for an independent Scotland without actually doing anything for themselves Salmond needs a serious slap followed by being hung from a convenient lampost.

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Long may it remain so.

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

For "share basing" read "leech onto and use, because we've no fcuking clue how to run an independant military".

All this independance bollocks belongs about ten years ago in Braveheart.

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

I should imagine the CDT failures alone would be sufficient!

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

The same Royal Air Force that is owned by the Queen, you mean?

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

The same Royal Air Force that is owned by the Queen, you mean?

The same one that Scottish taxes pay for, yes.

That'll be the same Queen who would be retained as Head of State incidentally.

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

The same Royal Air Force that is owned by the Queen, you mean?

Yes, The same Queen who is Queen Elizabeth I of Scotland.

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

The same Royal Air Force that is owned by the Queen, you mean?

The same one that Scottish taxes pay for, yes.

That'll be the same Queen who would be retained as Head of State incidentally.

Until Salmond pushes for a Republic.

To be honest though would an independent Scotland really be that interested in maintaining a full on air force or armoured capability? I'd more likely expect them to argue that they're entitled to an X percentage of the current UK lot and then try and trade them back for a larger share of something else they'd rather want from the shared assets. Their main defence policy from a very brief skim of their site seems to be maintaining the historic regiments of Scotland so might they end up with something along the lines of the Irish Defence Forces?

Confusing reference to England actually. If Scotland were to break away from the union it would be breaking away from, and breaking up, the United Kingdom. We south of the border would still be part of Great Britain and therefore Scotland would not be asking England to assist in its defence but the British government ... which operates the armed forces on behalf of HM Queen for the defence of Britain and British interests. Oh and it won't be a British government headed up by a one eyed jock either

population of 1/12th
so a 1/12th of uk military forces but could scotland actually afford to run a typhoon squadron?
maybe slightly diffrent if tax revenues are sorted out so 1/10 th of the uk military or less.
what happens when the majority of UK forces decide being part of a gloriefied cadet force is not for them

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Originally Posted by Sixty

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Where would these Scottish jets at RAF Leuchars and and RAF Lossiemouth come from then? .

From the Scottish share of the current UK armed forces.

The same Royal Air Force that is owned by the Queen, you mean?

The same one that Scottish taxes pay for, yes.

That'll be the same Queen who would be retained as Head of State incidentally.

Fair enough; it appears you're right link

We've got some Nimrods they'd be welcome to

Where are the "Och, ah'm ashamed o' ma country Hamish, ah'll jist awa'oot tae the cludgie and tan ma' ain' erse wi'a big poke o' jaggies" Brigade?

They've normally made an appearance by the 4th post.