Rosyth MP slams SNP for ‘childish’ defence politics

The Scottish Government’s decision to lift its long-standing ban on public funding for munitions production has been branded “childish” and “too little, too late” by Graeme Downie, MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, home to the Rosyth dockyard where the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates are under construction.

First Minister John Swinney announced on 3 September that the restriction would be removed in recognition of the strategic pressures created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, he confirmed that new awards of public money would be paused for defence companies linked to Israel or other states accused of genocide.

Swinney described the policy change as a response to a more dangerous world. “Defending our country – defending our continent – is a duty of government. Anyone watching the ongoing war in Ukraine would, I hope, recognise the reality of the importance of defence. Indeed, the invasion shows we live in a world in which our national security faces much greater and more immediate threats,” he said.

The reversal follows earlier controversies, including the refusal of a £2.5 million Scottish Enterprise grant for an £11 million submarine welding facility on the Clyde. That project was only kept alive after the UK Government intervened with funding.

Downie said the shift highlighted the SNP’s neglect of Scotland’s defence industrial base.

“The SNP have been in power in Scotland for almost 20 years and only just realising that defence might be important to the Scottish economy and protecting our country. It’s an absolute desperate sham. The SNP have a track record of failure when it comes to supporting workers and dismissing the importance of Scotland’s security. They failed to even recognise key milestones of the incredible achievement of Scottish workers such as the recent launch of the first Type 31 Frigate in my constituency.”

The Rosyth MP also accused the government of weakening Scotland’s skills base. “Worse than that, their childish approach to defence means they have failed to invest in skills, reducing opportunities for young people across Scotland and putting jobs at risk for the future. No one is going to buy for a second this sudden conversion from John Swinney. They know he’s only doing this cause he’s scared and realised that this UK Labour government will step up and invest in defence and invest in skills – the only party that will defend Scotland and support the critical defence workforce.”

The Scottish Government maintains that its revised approach balances support for Scotland’s defence industry with humanitarian principles, insisting that any company seeking aid must demonstrate its products are not used militarily by states accused of genocide.