Scottish independence a ‘win for Putin’, defence minister claims

Scotland becoming independent would be a “win” for Vladimir Putin, a UK defence minister has said.

Defence procurement minister Luke Pollard was speaking to Scottish journalists in London on Tuesday when he hit out at the long-standing SNP stance of removing nuclear weapons from Scottish waters if the country leaves the UK.

He also said the Scottish Government’s position meant submariners were seeing “their hard work effectively attacked”.

A paper released earlier this month by the Scottish Government said a post-independence Scotland would enshrine the removal of nuclear arms from the country in an interim written constitution.

“The thing that Putin fears most about the UK is our nuclear deterrent,” the minister said.

“So why make the argument that gives Putin a win? That removes jobs and makes Britain less secure?

“I don’t think, in an era of threats, that’s a credible position.”

He added: “I’m very mindful that the future of Scotland is very much down to the people of Scotland.

“But if I was sat in the Kremlin and I was looking at the nation that is at the forefront of support for Ukraine, is at the forefront of support for the Baltic states, that has a commitment to support Ukraine after a peace, and there was a way to erode its defence capabilities, I would regard that as a win.”

The minister also hit out at the Scottish Government’s reticence to invest public money in defence.

In September, John Swinney announced his Government would shift to ensure funding was not given to arms companies who had dealings with states credibly accused of genocide, bringing to an end a long-standing position of not providing funding for the manufacturing of munitions.

The Government, he said, was “on a bit of a journey” regarding their defence stance.

“We’re very clear that defence is an engine for growth,” the minister said.

“These are good, well-paid jobs in defence and it is a surprise to me every day that we’re not seeing the Scottish Government lean into the opportunities that exist, not just on the Clyde but on the east coast as well around Rosyth to create more jobs in defence.”

SNP defence spokesperson Dave Doogan MP said: “It is unbelievably crass that a Labour minister is using Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine as a political attack. He should do the right thing and apologise.

“Successive Westminster governments have committed to billions on nuclear bombs while cutting conventional troop numbers. It is conventional defence forces that will protect us from the threats we face today – not weapons of mass destruction on the Clyde.

“Scotland has a thriving defence sector which saw Norway – a small, independent and nuclear weapon free country – choose to build warships here. That in itself speaks volumes about what our country could be capable of through a fresh start with independence.

“Scotland’s existing multibillion-pound annual contribution to UK defence will be far better spent equipping an independent Scotland with the personnel and materiel we will require to play our key role in Nato, just like Norway, Finland and Denmark.”