East Dunbartonshire MSPs condemn renewal of Trident

SNP politicians, Gil Paterson and Rona Mackay, backed calls from SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson that the nuclear weapons system should now be removed from Scotland.

Fifty-eight of Scotland’s 59 MPs voted against the renewal of the weapons of mass destruction.

Gil Paterson MSP said: “The decision made by the UK Government to renew Trident is tragic ­— this will cost the taxpayer an astronomical amount of money.

“Trident looks set to cost more than £200 billion over its lifetime, and this is money that should be going into the frontline services the UK Government been cutting.

“Just a month after being told we’ll be taken out of the European Union, we’re being officially told we will weapons of mass destruction imposed upon us. Scotland has consistently show itself to be utterly opposed to nuclear weapons – a position taken by the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, Scottish MPs and a majority of Scotland’s political parties and trade unions.

“I am backing calls to have Trident taken out of Scotland after yesterday’s landslide vote here against it.”

Rona Mackay said: “This is a shameful moment for the UK Government – to commit to writing a blank cheque for a weapons of mass destruction system we’ll never use.

“Scotland’s parliament, government and MPs have shown the country is wholly against renewing these monstrosities and I back what Angus Robertson has said, to get Trident out of Scotland.

“The SNP made no secret of its opposition to Trident when I was elected in May, and I will stand by my commitment to oppose these immoral weapons.”