Faslane has bright, non-nuclear future, says SNP defence spokesman

The naval base at Faslane will not close if Scotland gains independence, the SNP's defence spokesman has said.

Brendan O'Hara said Faslane has a "bright, non-nuclear future" as a conventional naval base no longer home to Trident nuclear submarines.

Mr O'Hara was speaking at a fringe event at the SNP's spring conference in Aberdeen along with the rest of the SNP's Westminster defence team on policy in an independent Scotland.

He said they are working on a "bespoke" solution for Scotland, updating the "out-of-date" defence blueprint in the 2014 independence white paper.

The Argyll and Bute MP added: "Faslane will remain open in an independent Scotland and the lie that has been put about that we would walk out and lock the gates of Faslane has been nailed.

"Faslane has a bright, non-nuclear future as a conventional naval base for us and our allies and partners.

"Trident is the most expensive job creation scheme in the history of this planet and it is an absurdity. Not only is it immoral, but it is militarily useless and it's economic insanity."

He said it would be "inconceivable" that an independent Scotland would have nuclear submarines.

Mr O'Hara said they are considering whether the country should "start from scratch" on military assets or adopt around 9%, before pouring cold water on the latter option.

He added: "The task that we have set ourselves is to be absolutely sure we have a detailed, coherent and robust policy that will meet the needs of an independent nation."

Stirling MP Steven Paterson told the event the SNP expects to spend around 1.6% of GDP on defence, around the European Union and Nato average but less than Nato's recommendation of at least 2%.

Questioned if an independent Scotland would have its own intelligence service, he said: "There's obviously a very sophisticated intelligent network that exists currently as part of the UK and it would make no sense for us to tear that down.

"Once Scotland is an independent country we're going to co-operate extremely closely with our immediate neighbour, that is just common sense. We'd want to build on what's there. Yes, there'd be a change in the emphasis and the responsibilities but we'd certainly want to work as close as possible in order to make sure that what currently works continues to work."