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SNP's stance on nuclear weapons 'beyond any credibility' says Tory MP

SNP's stance on nuclear weapons 'beyond any credibility' says Tory MP
SNP's stance on nuclear weapons 'beyond any credibility' says Tory MP

A VETERAN Tory MP has described the SNP's position agaist nuclear weapons as "beyond any credibility".

Sir Bernard Jenkin was speaking after the SNP's defence spokesman Stewart McDonald in a debate about NATO, when he made the remarks this afternoon.

Nicola Sturgeon said earlier this month that it was her “expectation and hope” that Trident would be removed from the Clyde in the first parliament after a Yes vote.

All SNP candidates at last year’s Holyrood election also pledged an independent Scotland would never allow any stationing or installation of nuclear weapons in its territory.

HeraldScotland:
HeraldScotland:

However yesterday Mr McDonald said an independent Scotland would not “permanently” host nuclear weapons from other states but did not rule out short-term arrangements.

The Tory MP said he wondered why Mr McDonald had not mentioned the SNP's stance on nuclear weapons during his speech, and said: "I wonder why he said nothing about the SNPs attitude towards nuclear weapons, because it is now beyond any credibility, and it devalues everything he contributed to this debate.

"Because Scotland by far the greatest contribution that Scotland makes to the defense of Europe is the hosting of the nuclear deterrent, and the idea that this will be uprooted by an independent Scotland, and that Scotland would then present itself as a good member of NATO is utterly ridiculous."

He cited a column by in the Herald, saying: "We now know from and Iain Macwhirter's article in the Herald yesterday that this opinion is completely out of step with Scottish public opinion...58% of Scots want to retain the nuclear deterrent, only 20% want to get rid of it.

"So when is [The SNP] going to change that policy and adopt the nuclear deterrent as their policy?"

READ MORE: SNP 'opens door' to nuclear weapons under independence

Mr McDonald, MP for Glasgow South replied that voters have shown at the ballot box theyir support for the removal of Trident by voting for candidates who have said they wish the weapons to be removed.

He said: "When we put this to the Scottish people in the elections, they always return a majority of members who oppose the deterrent hosted in Scotland - that's not just my party, it includes the Scottish Labour Party as well."

He added that it would be "unprecedented in world history" to have nuclear weapons belonging to another country permnanelty based in Scotland.