Scottish independence, the SNP latest crazy, unworkable and stupid idea is to promise recruits a job for life in new Scottish army, Scotland could end up being defended by Dad’s Army, and the 'tin lid', SNP lie on NATO membership exposed, stupid little people

Dear All

It seems that total madness is the order of the day.

The SNP Government has a pathetic stance on defence that ridicule is only sensible approach looking at their deeply flawed proposals.

The latest whizz bang idea is that recruits signing up to join an independent Scotland's army would be offered a job for life.

Under plans being considered by the Scottish Government, we could have a situation that we just could have a Dad’s Army but possibly a Grandad’s Army.

Instead of a professional army, we would have a huge non combat effective social club.

There comes an age when soldiers due to the physical requirements of the job need to stand down.

The latest crazy idea is from Veterans Minister Keith Brown, what is a Veteran’s Minister; it’s just a made up title because the Scottish Government can’t call him the defence minister.

Brown told MPs yesterday that men and women risking their lives for the nation in war zones should not be "looking over their shoulder to see if they are about to be handed a P45".

This is just pure fantasy, if you extend his logic to other public services; you would soon see how unworkable the SNP idea is.

At present, no one wants to join Salmond’s Army, it’s a matter of trust, and serving with the British Forces opens up opportunities which wouldn’t be available in an independent Scotland.

Some time ago an unofficial poll shows that the majority of Scots Soldiers wouldn’t transfer across, and given Salmond can’t match the UK offer, Scotland could struggle to recruit enough personnel to defend the nation.

During evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee, SNP Minister Keith Brown said the job for life offer would make Scotland's forces more attractive to recruits than the British Army.

Defence like the EU is providing to be a minefield for the Nationalists as they just may stuff up.

The real bombshell however was to come as the SNP faced accusations of a U-turn after Brown admitted for the first time that an independent Scotland would have to apply to join NATO.

It is a matter of trust again as the SNP has deceived the people of Scotland again.

Brown’s climb down that Scotland would have to apply for membership of NATO shows how unprepared the SNP are for independence.

Although adopting NATO, the Nationalists wrong stuck to their anti Nuclear stance, thus looking like fools.

And there is no guarantee Scotland would be accepted into the international nuclear alliance because of Salmond’s non nuclear stance.

Brown’s statement is at odds with previous claims by his SNP Cabinet colleagues that an independent Scotland's NATO membership would continue and it would not have to re-apply.

Yet again, assumptions presented as facts.

First Minister Alex Salmond described the situation as "parallel with the European Union: you notify your intent to remain a member".

We are only a “member” while we remain in the UK, like the EU, the “contract” remains with Westminster.

Mr Brown told MPs:

"There are fairly substantial processes to go through but it has been done relatively quickly in the past with some of the Eastern European countries. I don't want to give the impression this is an automatic assumption. We will go through the processes."

Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy said:

"The SNP's defence policy unravels each time they open their mouth”.

Murphy added:

"It is little wonder Scotland does not trust the SNP on defence."

Giving evidence to the same committee, Philip Hammond for the Westminster Government suggested Scotland's membership of NATO could be blocked by the UK Government.

He said:

"The position of the government of the rest of the UK would be one of considered self-interest."

That would be a petty move; however, it shows that politics is very much in the minds of Westminster.

On the detail of defence, Brown said an independent Scotland would require just one airbase, despite the SNP's campaign against UK Government plans to close RAF bases.

The SNP previously said that three airbases were needed; now, it’s down to one, so what changed?

Nothing, Alex Salmond and the SNP were doing their usual grudge, grievance and malcontent routine to stir up dissent.

As to the naval fleet an independent Scotland would need, Brown said Scottish ministers has yet to decide which ships a Scottish Navy would need or the size of its budget.

In other words there is no plan for defence and no plans for spending, not even on the back of a fag packet.

Hammond also went on to warn he could not guarantee Sandhurst places to train large numbers of Scottish officers.

Committee member Thomas Docherty, the Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife questioned the practicality of guaranteeing no compulsory redundancies within the Scottish army. He said that the British Army regularly had to "churn" personnel because of the need for young, fit staff.

He asked just as I mentioned:

"Are you really going to have a bunch of relatively old soldiers?"

“Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Salmond if you think old England’s done, we are the boys who will stop your little game….”

The SNP couldn’t defend a hut in a paintball game, and as we are seeing, they are totally out of their depth on the measures needed to defend Scotland.

Fools playing stupid petty games with people’s lives!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University