SNP gathers forces to fight Trident missile replacement

The Ministry of Defence wants the 20 billion replacement for Trident to be based on the Clyde. Ultimately, the decision is up to UK MPs because defence is a reserved issue.

However, the SNP-led government has pledged to use every power available to stop the nuclear warheads being based north of the Border.

Following a summit involving politicians, unions, environmentalists and church leaders in Glasgow yesterday, Bruce Crawford, the minister for parliamentary business, announced a working group to look at the various devolved powers that could be used to stop Trident's successor being brought to Scotland by 2025.

He said the group would look at international law, transport, planning and the environment as possible obstacles to the UK government's plans.

The Scottish Government, for example, could refuse planning permission for a dry dock to service the nuclear submarines or use international law to prevent "war crimes" being committed in Scotland. The group will also look at how Scotland can take part in the 2010 nuclear non-proliferation treaty talks.

Campaigners welcomed the setting up of the working group as an "historic" move towards ridding Scotland of nuclear weapons.

However, Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs said it was a "waste of time" to be debating a matter over which Scotland had no power.

The three-hour meeting at Oran Mor, a former church in the West End of Glasgow, included SNP and Green MSPs, unions, anti-nuclear campaigners and the former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Very Rev Dr Alan McDonald.

A Ministry of Defence official, Neil Smith, director of corporate communications at the Clyde naval base, was also among the 40 participants.

Mr Crawford said the meeting symbolised the start of a process to rid Scotland of nuclear weapons.

"It shows there is the building of a campaign," he said. "This is an historic event, but it's the beginning of a process."

Mr Crawford said the majority of the public, MSPs and MPs were opposed to Trident. Therefore, he said, the Scottish Government had a "moral responsibility" to use the powers available to fight against the weapons system.

"We cannot, of course, use our devolved responsibilities to hinder or block decisions by the UK government on reserved matters," he said.

"We can, however, consider the impact on Scotland and on our devolved responsibilities of the UK government's plans to replace Trident and to continue to base nuclear weapons in Scotland.

"We are entitled to form opinions on these matters and we are entitled to do what we can to persuade the UK government to change its position."

The working group will consider legal challenges to nuclear weapons in Scotland. Indeed, Lord Murray, the former Lord Advocate, has already sought advice from Elish Angiolini, the current Lord Advocate, on the legality of Trident nuclear weapons. The group will also look at international, environmental or European laws that could be used to prevent the weapons being transported across the country.

A small group of government officials and representatives from civil society should be set up by early next year.

However, Mr Smith said any change to the situation would always have to come from Westminster.

He said: "The MoD's position is that there are reserved and devolved matters, and that's for politicians to decide how that will pan out."

George Foulkes, the Labour MSP, said the working group would be ineffectual. "The SNP's summit today is a ridiculous waste of time and taxpayers' money. This is a reserved issue over which they have no control," he said.

"Alex Salmond and his ministers should be explaining why they cannot or will not deliver on the many promises they made to the people of Scotland to get elected, and not engaging in diversionary tactics."

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Nicol Stephen, also attacked the meeting.

He said: "Once again the SNP will spend government time and money squabbling with Westminster rather than getting on with the job they were elected to do.

"Ministers can't tell us how many extra teachers they will need to meet their promises to cut class sizes, yet they are happy to spend time, money and effort on a summit working out how to pick yet another fight with Westminster."

However, Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP, said that as the renewal of Trident was illegal under international law, all parties and individuals in Scotland who were committed to upholding the law had every right to voice their concern, and do something about it.

He said: "It is vital that every avenue is explored to oppose Trident. The proposal to replace Trident is abhorrent, and will make the world a more dangerous place. With the backing of the people and majorities in the Scottish Parliament and among Scots MPs at Westminster we all have an obligation to do what we can to stop the Westminster government forcing another generation of nuclear weapons on Scotland."

THE PLANNING LAWS

THE Scottish Government has no direct control over defence policy, but is in charge of the planning process and campaigners believe this could be used to hinder the development of the nuclear fleet in Scotland.

The Ministry of Defence is looking at the possibility of building a new dry dock on the Clyde for its nuclear submarines. It has already held meetings with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to discuss the issue.

Planning permission from the local council would almost certainly be needed and its construction and use would be subject to pollution controls administered by SEPA. In both cases Scottish ministers would have the power to say yes or no.

The Scottish Government also has other powers over activities that might pollute the Clyde, including increased sewage discharges and these could also be used to delay or hinder any future developments at Faslane.

'WEAPONS MAY BE ILLEGAL'

ONE of the most straightforward methods of stopping the siting of nuclear weapons on Scottish soil would be to win a legal challenge.

Lord Murray, a former Lord Advocate, is one of a delegation of campaigners who made a submission to Elish Angiolini, the current Lord Advocate, on the legality of Trident nuclear weapons.

The campaign group argues that, at the very least, it may be illegal to deploy the weapons in "a state of readiness". This is the position of Lord Murray.

But others in the group, which comprises international law experts, religious leaders and peace campaigners, have gone further, by submitting evidence that even the possession of nuclear weapons may be a criminal act. By seeking the legal opinion of Ms Angiolini, the group hopes to persuade her to make a submission to the UK government, calling for a full legal inquiry into the status of Trident.

STOPPING THE CONVOYS

SCOTTISH ministers and anti-nuclear campaigners are likely to focus on the transportation of nuclear weapons across Scotland to hinder the development and further use of Faslane.

Convoys of warheads for Trident missiles travel by road between the Atomic Weapons Establishment, in Berkshire, and Coulport on Loch Long. The missiles themselves are maintained at Coulport.

Travel by road in heavily armoured trucks is judged to be safer than by rail, air or sea. The Ministry of Defence insists that the highest standards of safety are followed on the convoys. Exact numbers are secret, but campaigners estimate that two to six return journeys take place each year, with each convoy carrying dozens of warheads. Ministers are expected to examine European regulations which give the Scottish Government control over the environment to see if they can stop these convoys.

THE INTERNATIONAL ROUTE

ONE option which Alex Salmond has already started to use in his campaign against Trident is the simple route of politics, both national and international.

On an international level, the First Minister has written to representatives of the 189 countries who have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - including Iran and Zimbabwe - asking for the SNP administration to be involved in future discussions.

Mr Salmond's aim is to secure observer status for Scotland at the NPT, which is due to meet at the UN next spring.

Politically, he is appealing to those countries who want to see disarmament, trying to elicit their support for a non-nuclear Scotland over and above the heads of UK ministers, and trying to annoy UK ministers at the same time. On a national level, Mr Salmond is aware that officials at the Ministry of Defence will be watching political developments in Scotland with some anxiety.