MP's bid for veto over base closures

A BID will be made today to give MPs a veto over the closure of military bases as the Armed Forces Bill will be debated in the Commons.

With the future of four bases in Scotland facing uncertainty ahead of a review to be published this summer by the UK Government, an amendment by Dunfermline and West Fife Labour MP Thomas Docherty would allow MPs to save them.

If Mr Docherty's amendment passes it would mean that the Ministry of Defence would be forced to present a report to Scotland every time it wanted to close a base, change it from one service to another, or massively reduce the number of personnel based there.

The changes could only happen if the report was accepted in a vote of MPs in the Commons

Mr Docherty said: "My amendment would give communities a chance to properly lobby MPs for bases in their areas and MPs would have to make a clear decisions based on sound reasons."