Only In Scotland can the Village Idiot be a Political Party Leader - Alex Salmond targets 2016 Trident withdrawal date

First minister says SNP would have to win a post-independence election before removing nuclear weapons from Scotland

Alex Salmond has suggested a final deal on removing Trident nuclear submarines from an independent Scotland would be delayed until 2016, as he urged his party to seize the hour and win next year's referendum.

The first minister appeared to soften his stance on the immediate future of the Trident fleet, one of the most contentious issues in the independence debate, by suggesting its fate was conditional on the Scottish National party retaining power after independence was formally declared.

The SNP wants to officially declare independence in March 2016 after a deal with the rest of the UK on a new sterling currency union, splitting up the UK's debt and taking control of North Sea oil fields, followed by the first election to an independent Scottish parliament in May 2016.

But Salmond implied, for the first time, that the trigger for a final deal on removing Trident would come after an SNP victory in that election.

"The time period for their removal: once Scotland became independent and after, of course, people have elected their first government in an independent Scotland, but if it were to be an SNP government then we would ask the submarines to be removed from Scotland as soon as was safely possible," he said on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday.

Scottish government officials said that Trident's removal from the river Clyde would be a central part of the independence talks immediately after a yes vote next September.

In his keynote address to the SNP conference on Saturday, Salmond said all his government's key policies for independence would be published in its white paper on independence on 26 November, four days before Scotland celebrates St Andrew's Day.

Delegates have been told the SNP would, in an attempt to target low-paid voters, introduce a new minimum wage in line with inflation, take £70 off energy bills and scrap the bedroom tax after independence.

Salmond told a close-of-conference independence rally on Sunday that the yes campaign would win next September and overcome a wide deficit in the polls because the pro-independence movement was empowered by "trust, passion and commitment". It had tens of thousands of campaigners to send on to the streets, he said.

An Ipsos Mori poll last week showed the SNP government had a +24% approval rating, versus a -28% approval rating for the UK government. Converting that into support for independence would be the "ace card" in next year's campaign, Salmond said, adding: "Next year is Scotland's day and Scotland's hour."

At the same rally, Blair Jenkins, chief executive of the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign, attacked the UK parliament, saying it was "utterly incapable of delivering social justice", which would be a priority in an independent Scotland. Westminster lacked the political will to combat fuel poverty, child poverty and the growth of food banks, he added.In a reference to his previous roles as a senior BBC Scotland and STV news executive, Jenkins said: "Here is some really great news for the people of Scotland. If you are sick and fed up of the corrosive and cynical world of Westminster, then next year we can be rid of all of that. It really is that simple.

"Vote yes and we can say enough to the remote House of Commons and the ridiculous House of Lords: enough of the warmongers and the job-cutters; enough of the asset-strippers and the mortgage flippers; enough of the welfare bashers and the bedroom taxers."

Salmond's softer line on the future of Trident is significant for the independence talks. A longer timetable would allow both governments more time to prepare for a well-ordered withdrawal and relocation of Trident, giving ministers in Westminster more breathing space to consider their options after warning the Scottish government that joining Nato would be conditional on a full and mutually agreed settlement on Trident.

Angus Robertson, the SNP's defence spokesman and leader at Westminster, said Salmond was being consistent with government policy. "We would like to see talks taking place on this now to help prepare for a possible yes vote, as indeed the Westminster defence select committee recommended," he said.

"Trident would certainly be part of negotiations following a yes vote. Of course Trident could only be removed from Scotland once Scotland becomes an independent country, and SNP policy on that is clear, which is at the earliest possible safe moment."

Most Scots Support Nuclear Deterrent

A majority of Scottish people support a new nuclear deterrent, according to a new poll.

Carried out by Lord Ashcroft, the survey found 51% of Scots think Trident should be replaced and 43% believe the UK's nuclear stockpile should remain in Scotland.

The figures are significant because the impression had previously been that Scotland was generally opposed to having a nuclear deterrent based in the country - something the SNP has been keen to point out.

Lord Ashcroft, a Conservative peer, carried this poll out independently of his Tory loyalties but it will certainly be read with interest in Downing Street.

The Government has pushed the defence argument strongly of late to exploit the lack of a credible defence policy from the SNP.

The findings are contrary to a similar poll carried out in February, which recorded 60% opposition to a nuclear replacement, but Lord Ashcroft points out that this survey was conducted for CND and the wording of the question was misleading.

"Trying to show that people think what you want them to think is not the same thing as trying to find out what they really do think," he said.

"I am more interested in the latter - so last week I asked what people in Scotland really do think about Trident.

"In the event of Scotland becoming independent, only half of Scots thought Britain's nuclear weapons should cease to be based at Faslane; 35% would be happy to see the UK lease the naval base, with 15% undecided.

"Again, those in favour of independence opposed the idea by more than two to one."

Earlier this year David Cameron visited HMS Victorious, one of the Vanguard class nuclear submarines.

He used the visit to push the case for the Union and to make the point that if Scotland were to vote for independence, thousands of jobs would be lost in the defence industry - especially if the nuclear deterrent was moved south.

Wales - First Minister draws a line under nuclear arguement

FIRST MINISTER Carwyn Jones has said that the argument over the potential move of nuclear missile submarines from Scotland to Milford Haven is “entirely academic.”

Mr Jones appeared keen to draw a line under the row which began last month when he suddenly told assembly members that the nuclear missile Vanguard-class submarine fleet and the associated jobs would “be more than welcome” in Milford Haven.

A Welsh Government spokesman later said: “The First Minister recognises the substantial economic benefits of relocating Britain’s nuclear submarines to west Wales.”

That had kick-started heated debate about whether the submarines and their nuclear missiles could or should ever be based in the Haven waterway.

But after weeks of questioning, petitions and rumours of behind-thescenes discontent among the Labour front bench in Cardiff, Mr Jones seemed to want to move on when asked about the issue at First Minister’s questions last week.

“It’s quite clear from the UK Government that the fleet will remain at Faslane, so the issue is now entirely academic,”

UK - BAE could snub Portsmouth with new frigate build

Portsmouth dockyard could miss out on building the first of the Royal Navy’s new class of frigates,. A well-placed source has revealed a BAE Systems executive told them the new Type 26 programme will begin in the firm’s yards in Scotland later this decade.

It comes as BAE reviews whether to carry on building ships in Portsmouth – potentially placing 4,000 local jobs at risk.

A company spokeswoman said the decision on where it will build the Type 26s won’t be finalised until 2014.

But a Westminster source said: ‘At a meeting last week, BAE said the first Type 26 will be made in Glasgow.

‘From what BAE said, there would have to be investment in its facilities to accommodate the Type 26 in Portsmouth, so the first one will be done in Scotland.’

There are fears this will mean Portsmouth may never see any of the much-needed Type 26 work.

There will already be a gap in work from the end of 2014 when city shipbuilders complete the last parts of the navy’s aircraft carriers.

Defence economics expert Dr Michael Asteris, of the University of Portsmouth, said: ‘In the absence of alternative orders, this would be pretty bad news for Portsmouth.

‘This raises the question of what will happen to the yard in Portsmouth because mothballing it is not an option. You wonder if this is the death knell?’

BAE Systems employs 1,700 shipbuilders at Portsmouth Naval Base.

These jobs are at risk under the company’s review which began in January.

As reported last week, an economic study warned as many as 2,300 local supply chain jobs could also be lost if the defence giant stops building ships in the city.

BAE’s review is solely focused on the future of its shipbuilding division.

The 1,300 Portsmouth jobs in its ship maintenance and repair facility for the navy’s fleet are not affected and the MoD has stressed Portsmouth Naval Base will continue to be the home of the Royal Navy fleet.

As previously reported,  BAE is pushing for all 13 of the Type 26 frigates to be based in Portsmouth from 2020 to increase its fleet repair and maintenance operations within the naval base.

This could offset some job losses within the shipbuilding side of the dockyard.

Amid the uncertainty, a campaign has been launched to keep Portsmouth’s shipbuilding industry alive.

Carwyn Jones: Wales would welcome nuclear submarines

Britain's nuclear-armed submarines would be "more than welcome" in Wales if they left Scotland, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.

The SNP government in Edinburgh wants the fleet removed from its base on the west coast of Scotland.

At question time in the Senedd, Mr Jones suggested the nuclear deterrent could come to Pembrokeshire if forced to look for a home elsewhere.

But the UK government said it had no plans to move from HM Naval Base Clyde.

This week it awarded a £1.1bn contract for reactor cores.

Missiles

Britain has four Royal Navy Vanguard submarines, based at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde, which can deploy Trident ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

Quote

“There will be more than a welcome for that fleet and those jobs in Milford Haven” Carwyn Jones First Minister

Mr Jones, who will be in Scotland for a meeting of British and Irish ministers on Friday, was asked about the potential to invest in Welsh ports.

He said: "I did notice the Scottish government no longer wishes to have the nuclear submarine base at Faslane, it no longer wishes to house the UK naval nuclear fleet.

"There will be more than a welcome for that fleet and those jobs in Milford Haven."

Milford Haven is a natural deep water port that handles around a fifth of the UK's energy through oil and gas imports.

At the weekend the Scottish government said it was "firmly committed to the earliest possible withdrawal of Trident from Scotland".

It said independence is the only constitutional option that would give it the power to remove Trident from Scottish waters.

The Welsh government later said Mr Jones's comments had nothing to do with the SNP's referendum on Scottish independence and that he was a "staunch supporter" of the union.

A spokesman said: "The first minister recognises the substantial economic benefits of relocating Britain's nuclear submarine to west Wales.

'Boost'

"There would be more than a welcome in Wales for this kind of economic boost, which would bring thousands of high quality, well paid jobs to the area.

"The first minister is of the view that he would be neglecting his duty to do what he can to boost the Welsh economy he were to dismiss the possibility of bringing these jobs to Wales."

There was an angry response to his suggestion from Plaid Cymru politicians and activists.

Writing on Twitter, Plaid AM Jonathan Edwards said: "This is a hugely significant development.

"Milford is a huge energy portal. LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and nukes don't go together."

The UK government insists a final decision on replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent will not be taken until 2016 - after the next general election.

The Ministry of Defence says the £1.1bn reactor core contract announced recently secures 300 jobs at Rolls-Royce and will fund an 11-year refurbishment of its plant at Raynesway in Derby.

In response to Mr Jones's suggestion to move the nuclear submarines to Wales, an MoD spokesperson said: "The government is clear that Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it.

"No plans for independence are being made as the government is confident that people in Scotland will continue to support the UK in any referendum.

"We are therefore not making plans to move the nuclear deterrent from HM Naval Base Clyde.

"The government is committed to maintaining a continuous submarine-based nuclear deterrent and has begun the work of replacing our existing submarines."

Scottish Government * hits out at 'obscene' £1bn Trident renewal deal

A £1billion contract for ­reactors to power the next generation of Britain’s nuclear submarines on the Clyde will be announced this week.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has agreed the deal as part of Government plans to replace the Vanguard fleet that carries the Trident nuclear deterrent.

But the Scottish Government hit out at the move, saying it would be an “obscenity” to press ahead.

Government Strategy ­Secretary Bruce Crawford’s warning comes after Defence Secretary Philip Hammond insisted the final decision on Trident had not been made despite the contract to build two reactor cores.

­Crawford said the Scottish ­Government were committed to the “earliest possible withdrawal” of the nuclear deterrent.

He said: “It’s estimated that the costs for the new Trident weapon system could be anything up to £25billion and, over the lifetime, £100billion.

“What is quite clear is that the people of Scotland are opposed to the new nuclear weapons system on the Clyde.

“I think it’s an obscenity that we’re going to be pressing ahead at this time with this particular system.”

Under the Trident programme, the Royal Navy operates 58 nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missiles and about 200 nuclear warheads on four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines from Clyde Naval Base at Faslane.

Replacing it has proved a flashpoint for the coalition, with Liberal Democrats opposed to “like-for-like” replacement and Conservatives committed to full renewal by 2028.

Hammond will tomorrow formally announce the contract for the two cores.

The funding will also be used for an 11-year refit of Rolls-Royce’s plant at Raynesway, Derby, which will carry out the work and create 300 jobs.

Hammond said the final “main gate” decision on Trident renewal will still not be made until 2016, but long lead times mean the reactor contracts needed to be signed now.

* Scottish Government is equal to ONE car park attendant at Wal-Mart and Bruce Crawford is similar to a Gnat on a goats ass.