With thanks to Gavin Mowat Constituency Assistant to Christian Allard MSP
Commenting on an interview by American investigative journalist and author Eric Schlosser in which he warned that the Trident nuclear weapons system had inherited design faults and safety flaws, Christian Allard, MSP for the North East, said:
“Scotland is a peaceful, progressive country and one where nuclear weapons have no place.
“Mr Schlosser’s comments highlight the safety concerns around Trident, the nuclear weapons system in Scottish waters, and add weight to calls for the unpopular weapons of mass destruction not to be renewed.”
In an interview for Channel 4 Mr Schlosser said that the Trident missile system, which is the principal nuclear weapon that Great Britain has, has safety issues that were revealed in a report to Congress more than 20 years ago – I hope in Scotland they’re very careful when loading and unloading the missiles.
Mr Allard, French-born member of the Scottish Parliament has joined the international group of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND), and he is also a member of Aberdeen and District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
The North East MSP said:
“I have always maintained that nuclear weapons and in particular Trident, are unsafe and that plans to spend £100 billion on their renewal would be folly. “
Jonathan Russell, Chair of Aberdeen and District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament added:
“Nuclear weapons and Nuclear Power will always have the potential for accidents.
“Worryingly, on July 29th last year, there was a failure of both the primary and secondary sources of coolant for Nuclear reactors at the nuclear repair and refuelling facility at Devonport, Plymouth which could have led to a disaster on the scale of the one at Fukushima.”
Mr Allard added:
“The government and people of Scotland deserve the right to decide their own defence priorities, particularly as Westminster has already spent billions to renew the UK nuclear weapons system – despite the findings of Eric Schlosser.
“A Yes vote in 2014 is a vote for a nuclear weapons free Scotland, a safe Scotland.”
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Just think, all those billions used for health, education, housing and a decent, cheap, public transport system along with creating jobs for our youth. I’d say it’s a no brainer.
Of course, we will need a defense force, but are aircraft carriers and the like really necessary? Is having a nuclear “deterrent” that we dare not use really essential?
I look forward to Scots having the good sense to vote for a government that will be answerable to them at the ballot box (something we have never had with Westminster), who can implement policies that are appropriate to the well being of the nation and it’s citizens. It can happen, but only we can make it happen.
I’m about 1/3rd of the way through Eric Schlosser’s book; “COMMAND and CONTROL.” Already I feel very uncomfortable about what our Westsinister government may be covering up about safety of TRIDENT II missiles at the Faslane submarine base. It is enough knowledge to make one realise why it is based as far away from London as possible. The fact it is just ten miles up the road from Glasgow seems of no concern to the London government. They must surely be forced out of this base by a YES vote in the independence referendum.