Nuclear protesters slam Salmond’s U-turn

Nuclear weapons protesters have accused Alex Salmond of sanctioning “mass murder” because of the SNP’s desire to ditch its opposition to Nato.

Trident Ploughshares said the proposed U-turn, which would see an independent Scotland remain within the nuclear-armed military alliance, is incompatible with the party’s anti-nuclear stance.

The group is planning a protest outside the SNP’s headquarters, just off the Royal Mile, next Thursday. The demo is being held on August 9, 67 years to the day since the US killed around 70,000 people with a nuclear strike on the Japanese city of Nagasaki.

A Ploughshares spokeswoman said: “With their anti-Trident stance, the SNP have given the nuclear disarmament movement a real hope of progress. Please do not let that hope be snuffed out. We are asking people to join us in this respectful cry of concern.”