Defence deals

The impression given by the British Government during the referendum campaign was that a sovereign state would never 
consider buying its weaponry from a foreign power, in this case warships from Scotland. Now I note that Australia is considering buying submarines from Japan, while India is to buy Japanese reconnaissance aircraft.

Meanwhile, India is also 
negotiating a deal on tank 
engines with Turkey.

Incidentally, the last time 
Australia saw Japanese submarines they were shelling Bondi Beach and torpedoing ships in Sydney Harbour.

But that is history, which is no barrier to the huge international trade in weaponry.

Why then did we believe that the UK Government would not buy Clyde-built ships from 
Scotland?

Peter Craigie

East London Street

Edinburgh