24 Apr 2017
Scottish Labour have been humiliated by their colleagues in England over the issue of Trident renewal.
The party here wants to see the facility at Faslane scrapped and, with the exception of one MSP, voted as such in the Scottish Parliament 18 months ago.
However, today Labour’s shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith stated: “Our policy is very clear – that we are committed to the renewal of the nuclear deterrent.”
She went on to say she’d be instructing leader Jeremy Corbyn that the commitment would be in the manifesto for the upcoming vote.
The statement is a blow to Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale, who wants to see Trident shut down, despite the thousands of jobs it supports in the west of Scotland, and its importance to UK defence policy.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said:
“This is an embarrassing blow for Kezia Dugdale, who now has to clarify to voters what Labour’s position on this actually is.
“It seems the party in the rest of the UK is passionate about renewing and maintaining Trident, yet here they want to see it scrapped.
“It’s a chaotic approach which tells you Labour don’t care for the thousands of people whose jobs depend on it, and don’t have a clue on the issue of defence.
“The party in Scotland is going to be left in a situation where it will be standing on a manifesto pledge of huge importance which it doesn’t remotely agree with.
“It’s no wonder voters are set to turn away from them in their droves.”
Labour’s shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith told the BBC’s Daily Politics: “Our policy is very clear – that we are committed to the renewal of the nuclear deterrent.”
Every Labour MSP, except Jackie Baillie, voted for the scrapping of Trident in Holyrood:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-34709750
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