UK Aircraft Carrier Failure

The UK’s two aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales have both failed to be deployed to NATO Exercises, a huge embarrassment for the once mighty Royal Navy. What does this mean for Scotland?

Scotland pays £4.54billion on the UK’s defence but the MoD only spends £2.01billion within Scotland, a difference of £2.53billion. On a good note this means Scotland is meeting NATO spending commitments of 2% of GDP on defence by sitting at the 2.1% mark. On the other hand, Scotland is being short changed by the UK Government. £2.53billion is being spent outwith Scotland from her defence budget which would be better spent within the country to bolster it’s defence.

It appears Scotland is not getting much benefit for her defence contributions. Only two Royal Navy Reserve units are located within Scotland, HMS Dalriada in Glasgow and HMS Scotia in Rosyth and Dundee. At HMNB Clyde the heavily contested nuclear submarines are stationed and the UK’s nuclear weapons which poll after poll show Scots are opposed to having in the nation so close to Glasgow.

The mainstream media within Scotland bombard Scots on a weekly basis about ferries but oddly don’t think they should bombard us about how the nations security is at risk because the UK Gov and MoD can not build two aircraft carriers properly, putting our defence in jeopardy. Defence is a reserved matter while Scotland is expected to pay £4.54billion with our defence in the hands of a government 400miles away that doesn’t appear to do too good a job.

The British Army is facing recruitment shortages galore with numbers expected to drop still. The Royal Navy is decommissioning ships while it’s two aircraft carriers are not fit for purpose and the Royal Airforce only has 130 fighter jets, not enough to defend the island. Scotland needs to chart it’s own course as an independent nation with a foreign policy built on peace, cooperation and friendship. Leaving the UK’s foreign policy of war, bullying and enemies behind.