Political Positions
The main political parties in Scotland - Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Scottish Green Party, and SSP - say the following about Britain's nuclear weapons.
Scottish Conservative Party
Liberal Democrat Party
Scottish National Party
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The British Government's position contains these points :
1. Britain needs the Trident system for its defence
In a war Britain is prepared to be the first to use nuclear
weapons. It is also prepared to use them where her interests
are at risk. It is difficult to know what British nuclear weapons
are intended to do. It is said that Britain's weapons are designed
to destroy Moscow's defence complex (including its Command and
Control Centre). Britain's weapons are assigned to NATO but
can also be used independently with US support.
The most recent annual defence reviews have little to say about
nuclear weapons. At a recent NATO meeting attention was drawn
to Britain's sub-strategic warheads on Trident. How they would
be used is obscure. The Labour, Conservative and
Liberal Democratic parties are in favour of Britain's
retention of nuclear weapons. Plaid Cymru, the Scottish
National Party and the Green Party are opposed. The
Northern Ireland parties' views have not been recorded.
Since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament defence is
a power reserved to the British Government and defence matters
cannot be decided by the Scottish Parliament. Issues affected
by the presence of Britain's only nuclear base within Scotland
for example health and safety and the environment can be considered.
At Westminster there is a CND group of MPs and at Holyrood there
is a cross party Nuclear Disarmament Group of MSPs. Representatives
of CND attend these groups.
"We support Trident, Britain's minimum nuclear deterrent. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty commits us to work for the global elimination of nuclear weapons. We are enthusiastic signatories to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, whose coming into force will impede nuclear proliferation, and we want to see the USA and Russia continue to reduce their nuclear stockpiles."
"We will... remain fully committed to Britain's independent nuclear deterrent."
"We would... maintain Britain's overall defence capability at its current level, whilst ensuring UK forces meet current needs, and are appropriate to potential threats."
"The SNP believes that our defence needs would best be met without nuclear weapons, within the framework of the EU and in conjunction with an international policy which addresses the causes of conflict, as well as the symptoms."
"we will phase out nuclear power stations within the shortest possible timescale... Greens will immediately end funding for Trident and all other weapons of mass destruction."
"we will fight for... the removal of Trident, and all nuclear weapons from Scotland. [Also,]
the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and the establishment of a diversification agency to guarantee the livelihoods of all workers whose jobs are dependent on nuclear weapons and nuclear power."
2. Britain supports the Non Proliferation Treaty according
to which the US, Russia, China, France and Britain as permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council are the only
countries which may have nuclear weapons.
3. Britain is committed to working towards the elimination
of nuclear weapons.