MOD SPENDING REPORT HIGHLIGHTS TRIDENT FOLLY FOR FRONTLINE SOLDIERS
Posted on Wednesday, June 28 2006
The report by the all-party Public Accounts Committee into MoD spending highlights the folly and vanity of Labour wasting billions on a replacement for Trident says Angus Robertson MP, the SNP’s Shadow Defence Minister.According to the report the MoD overspent by £3 billion on their 19 largest projects - this did not include the Eurofighter project which is about £2 billion over budget. Savings of £700 million on projects like Astute class submarines and Future Aircraft Carriers were only achieved by reducing weaponry orders or downgrading kit for frontline soldiers. The report also detailed how projects are running 31 years late in total.In conclusion the Committee of MPs concluded that the MoD is unable to "consistently manage major projects".Commenting Mr Robertson said:“This report is a damning indictment of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s nuclear obsession. If their Government cannot be trusted to manage existing major projects how on earth can it be trusted with a replacement for Trident?“It also highlights how the waste of money is affecting equipment for our frontline troops. It is an appalling situation that our soldiers have to serve without adequate kit and equipment.“It is even more appalling that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown want to waste billions on Trident for their own vain ambitions instead of ensuring our troops are properly supplied and equipped."ENDS
MCCONNELL SHOULD COME CLEAN ON NUCLEAR
Posted on Tuesday, June 27 2006
SCOTLAND NEEDS NEW LEADERSHIPSpeaking today following the First Minister's on the record briefing this morning, the SNP's Holyrood Leader Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:"Jack McConnell is running scared of the nuclear issue. Time and time again he's been asked in public and in Parliament about his nuclear intentions, but he's still to come out with a clear statement on his position."Scottish voters need to know whether or not he supports the building of new nuclear power stations in Scotland, but once again he's dodged the issue. He's clearly more interested in appeasing his masters in London than improving the lives of people in Scotland."We all know of Scotland's vast renewables potential, and that's one of the reasons why the SNP say it's unnecessary to build new nuclear power stations here."Scots deserve straight answers to straight questions from their politicians, so Jack McConnell must come clean on his position now, rather than relying on rumour and spin to protect his back.Ms Sturgeon added:"The nuclear issue is just one example of why Scotland badly needs new leadership. As we heard this morning, all Jack McConnell has to offer Scots are the same old scare stories. What he doesn't realise is that it simply doesn't wash with the public any more."People can see right through Labour's negative attacks and are opting for the positive change offered by the SNP."At next year's elections the people of Scotland have a clear choice between being stuck in the past with Labour or moving forward with the SNP."ENDS
SNP VINDICATED ON RENDITION FLIGHTS BY COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Posted on Tuesday, June 27 2006
LABOUR GOVERNMENT MUST COME CLEAN AND LIBDEMS MUST ACT NOWCommenting on the Council of Europe passing a resolution implicating European states of colluding with the CIA on rendition flights today (Tuesday) the SNP’s Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Angus Robertson MP, says this vindicates his party’s report which he passed on to the Council.The Council says some European states were staging posts for illegal flights and others let the CIA abduct suspects from their soil.In January Mr Robertson published a report on suspected US intelligence flights through Scottish airports which listed in detail the planes, dates on which they landed and the 10 firms which allegedly operated on behalf of the CIA.Commenting on today’s developments Mr Robertson said:“Today’s Council resolution vindicates the SNP’s decision to forward the report we published to the committees of inquiry established by the Council of Europe. This resolution also highlights the disquiet across Europe about this whole issue."It is a serious issue about our standing in the world and the UK government and Labour/LibDem Executive must end the culture of secrecy. To effectively combat terrorist extremism we need to maintain the highest human rights standards and the UK has already created a bad impressionwith obfuscation and spin.“The Labour Government in London must now come clean and reveal what has been going on.“In particular the LibDems Transport Minister in Scotland has no reason not to act on this issue. After all they say the Government must take action to investigate these allegations urgently. So why aren’t they since they have the power to do so in Scotland?“The Labour/LibDem Executive has a responsibility to pursue this issue like other governments. Continuing with a “hear no evil, see no evil” policy is just not good enough for Scotland.”ENDS
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