The Power At Scotlands Heart (from The Herald Election Site)

The Trident nuclear deterrent is the one issue that divides even the ruling Labour Party in Scotland, polarising the camps of those implacably opposed to atomic weapons and those willing to support the government line of "a prudent insurance policy in a dangerous world".

Based at Faslane on the Clyde, the four Vanguard-class submarines that carry the missiles complicate the issue by providing work for 7100 local civilians and another 4000 sub-contractors across the central belt. The 100-acre site is the single largest industrial employer in Scotland, contributing £180m a year to the local economy through contracts for everything from catering to construction, and £280m to the wider wealth north of the border.

Politicians of all parties for whom nuclear arms are anathema talk vaguely of "alternative" jobs if Faslane and the neighbouring armaments depot at Coulport are ever closed, but have few realistic ideas of what would replace them as the economic linchpin of an area where non-defence-related work is scarce and opportunities limited.

The other side of the coin is playing host to enough nuclear "throw-weight" to devastate a small continent. Each Vanguard that slips its moorings and heads off into the Atlantic on round-the-clock deterrent patrol carries 148 warheads, each eight times as powerful as the crude bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The weapons can be launched from a range of 5000 miles and are accurate to within a few dozen yards. The improved US missiles being considered to equip Britain's next generation of submarines - also scheduled to be based at Faslane - will be able to hit their targets with pinpoint accuracy to counter underground command bunkers and nuclear storage sites.

The nuclear dimension apart, defence plays an understated but central role in Scotland's economic life, from the shipyards of the Clyde to the high-tech factories around Edinburgh and Dunfermline designing laser-guidance pods and advanced optics for military jets. Despite the drastic 1980s cull of "metal-bashing" firms and the collapse of the steel industry, the Govan and Scotstoun yards now owned by BAE Systems have survived to take pole position in UK warship-building hierarchy.

Between them, they employ 3300 skilled workers and indirectly support a further 1200. The yards are currently engaged in construction of the second pair of six Type 45 air-defence destroyers for the Royal Navy. Two of the advanced ships have already been launched.

Soon the yards expect to be starting the biggest contract in their history: to build key parts of two 60,000-tonne aircraft carriers due to come into service in the latter half of the next decade. That £3.8bn deal, on course to be signed this summer, will provide work for all of Britain's surviving warship yards. The Clyde, along with VT in Portsmouth, will build modular sections of the huge ships. The component parts will then be towed to the east coast to be welded together at Babcock's facilities at Rosyth.

The University of Strathclyde's Fraser of Allander Institute says that for every 100 direct BAE jobs on Clydeside, company contracts underpin another 57 in logistical back-up industries from electronics to forestry. Last year, Govan and Scotstoun contributed £238.2m to Scottish coffers, including £107.7m in wages. Vic Emery, BAE's managing director, says: "The economic numbers are significant. The shipbuilding industry is at the very heart of the Scottish economy."

Babcock Engineering Services, BAE's nearest rival, has 1200 workers at its east-coast site and specialises in refitting and upgrading major naval vessels. Its naval division also runs Faslane's site infrastructure. In 2006 it completed a £25m, two-year makeover of the 22,000-tonne carrier and assault ship Ark Royal, still the navy's de facto flagship.

There are about 170 companies in Scotland involved in defence in the aerospace and marine sectors. Between them, they employ 15,000 people, and in 2005, they generated more than £2.1bn of business between them. Employees in the crucial electronic technologies at the core of the Ministry of Defence's future procurement strategies also earn one-third more than the Scottish average wage.

The companies are investing for the long term, too: the latest figures available show more than £91m spent on research and development, and the hiring of 500 apprentices. On average, the MoD spends between £600m and £700m a year sustaining defence manufacturing jobs north of the border.

Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart Crawford, a former tank commander and now a military analyst, says Scotland has always punched above its weight in military and industrial terms. "We have about 8% of the UK's overall defence manufacturing jobs, and make up almost 10% of the total manpower of the three armed services and 13% of the army from a population which represents 8.7% of the total British population," he says. "The MoD employs 6660 full-time and 440 part-time civil servants up here. Glasgow is the headquarters of the Army Personnel Centre, the site from which every soldier's pay, postings and career are managed worldwide.

"While recruitment has suffered in recent years due to factors such as regimental amalgamations, Iraq, better educational opportunities and a general demographic decline in people of military age, the five Scottish infantry battalions still make up more than 12% of the army's available ground troops."

There are between 19,000 and 20,000 Scots in the regular army, navy and RAF, with a further 2500 in the part-time Territorial Army. Hundreds of the latter have already served six-month stints on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The army headquarters near Edinburgh is responsible for 19,000 personnel scattered from the Shetlands to South Yorkshire, and three of the RAF's operational bases are located in Scotland. Lossiemouth and Kinloss in Moray and Leuchars in Fife are frontline flying stations; between them, they operate Tornado strike and fighter jets, Nimrod maritime patrol and intelligence-gathering aircraft, and search and rescue helicopters.

The Sea King helicopters from the rescue centre at Kinloss saved 1700 lives in 2006, and its crews were scrambled more than 3000 times for missions all over the UK. These included airlifting stranded or injured climbers and winching crewmen from sinking boats around the coast.

The RAF has almost 6000 uniformed and more than 1000 civilian employees in Scotland, many of whom live "off-base" in surrounding communities and contribute directly to the local and national economies.

The MoD owns land and buildings covering 25,000 hectares and thought to be worth £1.3bn. There are also Nato warship refuelling depots at Campbeltown, Loch Striven and Loch Ewe.

The Royal Marines have one commando group of 700-plus men based at HMS Condor on the outskirts of Arbroath, and a second 530-strong Fleet Protection Group stationed on the Faslane site. The latter unit provides the specially trained counter-terrorist manpower to protect the North Sea oil and gas rigs and platforms off Scotland's coasts; it also supplies anti-ambush teams to escort the road convoys transporting refurbished warheads from the government laboratories at Burghfield in rural Berkshire to Coulport.

Like their RAF counterparts, many of these servicemen and women elect to buy or rent property in the Helensburgh/Rhu area and become part of the wider civilian community. There is also a healthy population of "galvanised Scots" - former naval officers and senior ranks from elsewhere in the UK who choose to retire to homes near the base.

Trident or no Trident, the future of Scotland's defence industry is a vitally important issue.

Dr Taggart, 72, who was raised in the Argyll and Bute area, says: "Governments have an obligation to protect civilians. There is no way nuclear weapons can be detonated and still comply with these principles."

George Freeman, independent councillor for the area, insists the majority of local people are in favour of the Faslane base. "There is a fair amount of support locally for it. Try taking 11,000 jobs out of any local economy. The area would be devastated," he says.

But Dr Taggart is sceptical. "People say these bases bring jobs to the area, which I don't dispute, but the number of jobs brought here is grossly overplayed," he says.

Dr Taggart has called instead for a "programme of conversion to sustainable non-nuclear jobs" such as those in renewable energy, conservation and sustainable forms of public transport.

Meanwhile, Hoosie, a peace activist who has campaigned at Faslane for around 10 years, says the money spent on maintaining the Trident missile programme in the UK would be better directed towards "essential" community services.

"Decommissioning the bases would require more workers than it takes to maintain them. And the £2000 a minute it costs to maintain our nuclear programme could be redirected into facilities such as schools and hospitals."

Supports the renewal of Trident, and argues Westminster should continue to decide on defence matters. Stresses the benefits to Scotland of being part of the British armed forces. Promises to continue to work with Whitehall to win defence contracts and boost the Scottish economy.

Wants Scotland to make its own decisions about defence. Says it will ensure that Scottish soldiers are never again dragged into an illegal war. Wants to maintain active defence commitments through the UN, European Union and Partnership for Peace. Opposed to Trident and nuclear weapons.

Has a commitment to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons, but would retain the minimum nuclear deterrent until progress has been made to this end. Would continue to improve the capability of the army so it can face the strategic challenges of modern-day conflict.

Wants the elections to be a referendum on Trident, and is recommending electors to only vote for candidates opposed to Trident. Says an independent socialist Scotland would be a force for peace and justice internationally.

The SNP is opposed to 'illegal' wars, which means wars not given the go-ahead by the UN security council. This means that they are in favour of an ethnically 'pure' Serbian Kosovo (prevented by 'illegal' war) and the snuffing out of Bosnia Herzegovina (prevented by 'illegal' war). Viva 'illegal' wars is all I can say. SNP - the party Douglas Hurd would vote for.

The SNP is opposed to 'illegal' wars, which means wars not given the go-ahead by the UN security council. This means that they are in favour of an ethnically 'pure' Serbian Kosovo (prevented by 'illegal' war) and the snuffing out of Bosnia Herzegovina (prevented by 'illegal' war).
Viva 'illegal' wars is all I can say.

SNP - the party Douglas Hurd would vote for.

Well done Angus. Keep making cheap and ludicrous attacks on the SNP and more people will vote for the party who didn't lie to bomb innocent children and women and men in Iraq. A place where people die daily on the streets and will continue to die because Labour acted unilaterally and disregarded the UN. The SNP believe in peace and working with international friends to resolve crises. Not like Labour who lie so they can get access to oil for their pals the Americans. So keep making your points Angus you only dam Labour more and let people see how morally bankrupt Labour actually are

Well done Angus.

Keep making cheap and ludicrous attacks on the SNP and more people will vote for the party who didn't lie to bomb innocent children and women and men in Iraq. A place where people die daily on the streets and will continue to die because Labour acted unilaterally and disregarded the UN.

The SNP believe in peace and working with international friends to resolve crises. Not like Labour who lie so they can get access to oil for their pals the Americans.

So keep making your points Angus you only dam Labour more and let people see how morally bankrupt Labour actually are

Sounds like our reporter has been reading Jackie Baillie's propaganda. 11000 jobs at Faslane??? Funny how during a debate in the Scottish Parliament in 2002 she stated 7000 jobs were depenant on the Base. Then in a letter to Ban the Bomb in 2003 she stated 4000 jobs at Faslane, now in the run up to an election there are 11000 jobs at Faslane! Living local to the Faslane and Coulport bases ther are no way anywhere near 11000 persons employed within. As Dr.Taggart states"People say these bases bring jobs to the area, which I don't dispute, but the number of jobs brought here is grossly overplayed," But what Labour in Dunbartonshire are failing to discuss is the Government proposed spending cuts of £30 million during the next 4 years at Faslane. 11000 jobs at Faslane? Vote Labour for a reductionin jobs, that's guaranteed!!

"Viva 'illegal' wars is all I can say."

Presumably this is why Britain and the US backed Saddam in the Iran- Iraq war?

Points to note: 1 The reactors on submarines are fueled with bomb grade material. 2 A submarine engine will not melt down (as in Chernobyl) but explode as an atom bomb – it has more than sufficient mass to achieve this) 3 The most likely critical time for a reactor is shut down and startup (Chernobyl and Three mile island occurred in startups) 4. All the submarines shutdowns and startups occur at Faslane. 5. An accident on a bomber will result in a chain reaction across the missiles resulting in 1500 Hiroshima’s in the West of Scotland. In truth the most likely outcome with this weapon system is for the protagonist to wipe themselves out so the above applies to all nuclear submarines; however the extra power on the UK engines is achieved through building a probability of failure into the design. Accidents do happen on submarines but are usually covered up. You can easily check the web for lost American and Russian subs.

Points to note:

1 The reactors on submarines are fueled with bomb grade material.
2 A submarine engine will not melt down (as in Chernobyl) but explode as an atom bomb – it has more than sufficient mass to achieve this)
3 The most likely critical time for a reactor is shut down and startup (Chernobyl and Three mile island occurred in startups)
4. All the submarines shutdowns and startups occur at Faslane.
5. An accident on a bomber will result in a chain reaction across the missiles resulting in 1500 Hiroshima’s in the West of Scotland.

In truth the most likely outcome with this weapon system is for the protagonist to wipe themselves out so the above applies to all nuclear submarines; however the extra power on the UK engines is achieved through building a probability of failure into the design.

Accidents do happen on submarines but are usually covered up. You can easily check the web for lost American and Russian subs.

Lets not forget the fact that the UK would find it virtually impossible to use the weapons based on the Gareloch (28 miles from the most populous area of Scotland) without the participation of the USA. We are basically a delivery system for nuclear weapons which are used to further aggressive and often illegal US and UK foreign policy. The SNP and other non-nuclear parties are on the money - Scotland is waking up to the fact that we are being used as a site for WMD that the English wouldn't have anywhere in their back yard - far from next to their largest population centre. Lets see how many hands go up for these 11,000 jobs (aye right) when we ask them where they want them parked!

Lets not forget the fact that the UK would find it virtually impossible to use the weapons based on the Gareloch (28 miles from the most populous area of Scotland) without the participation of the USA. We are basically a delivery system for nuclear weapons which are used to further aggressive and often illegal US and UK foreign policy.
The SNP and other non-nuclear parties are on the money - Scotland is waking up to the fact that we are being used as a site for WMD that the English wouldn't have anywhere in their back yard - far from next to their largest population centre. Lets see how many hands go up for these 11,000 jobs (aye right) when we ask them where they want them parked!

Here's a report from the Red Cross on the consequences of "our" security policy: [bold]The security situation in Iraq is disastrous and the humanitarian crisis is getting worse, according to the Red Cross. The charity has published a report called Civilians Without Protection in which it points out that the violence has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. It said the Iraqi government's ability to provide for its citizens was in decline. Healthcare was stretched to the limit because of the daily violence, and food shortages had led to an increase in malnutrition, the International Committee Of The Red Cross warned. Power shortages were increasing and vital repairs to the country's infrastructure were being hampered by security constraints, the report added. It said around one third of the population lived in poverty, while more than 5% lived in extreme poverty. "The conflict in Iraq is inflicting immense suffering on the entire population," the report said. "Civilians bear the brunt of the relentless violence and the extremely poor security conditions that are disrupting the lives and livelihoods of millions."[/bold] Remind me again about those WMDs... We don't need lectures from Blair and Brown or their little friends in Scotland about geo-politics or military procurement.

Here's a report from the Red Cross on the consequences of "our" security policy:

The security situation in Iraq is disastrous and the humanitarian crisis is getting worse, according to the Red Cross.
The charity has published a report called Civilians Without Protection in which it points out that the violence has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

It said the Iraqi government's ability to provide for its citizens was in decline.

Healthcare was stretched to the limit because of the daily violence, and food shortages had led to an increase in malnutrition, the International Committee Of The Red Cross warned.

Power shortages were increasing and vital repairs to the country's infrastructure were being hampered by security constraints, the report added.

It said around one third of the population lived in poverty, while more than 5% lived in extreme poverty.

"The conflict in Iraq is inflicting immense suffering on the entire population," the report said.

"Civilians bear the brunt of the relentless violence and the extremely poor security conditions that are disrupting the lives and livelihoods of millions."

Remind me again about those WMDs...

We don't need lectures from Blair and Brown or their little friends in Scotland about geo-politics or military procurement.

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