This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/21/alex-salmond-independent-scotland-trident
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Alex Salmond: independent Scotland would resist pressure over Trident | Alex Salmond: independent Scotland would resist pressure over Trident |
| (30 days later) | |
| Alex Salmond has said an independent Scotland would resist pressure to keep Trident missiles on the Clyde as his party stakes its claim to be the country's most effective opponent to the Tories. | Alex Salmond has said an independent Scotland would resist pressure to keep Trident missiles on the Clyde as his party stakes its claim to be the country's most effective opponent to the Tories. |
| Scotland's first minister rejected suggestions that independence would allow the rest of the UK to continue using the Trident base on the Clyde on a lease, in the same way UK forces have bases in Cyprus or the US has its base in Guantánamo Bay. | Scotland's first minister rejected suggestions that independence would allow the rest of the UK to continue using the Trident base on the Clyde on a lease, in the same way UK forces have bases in Cyprus or the US has its base in Guantánamo Bay. |
| In an interview on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the first minister said that Friday's decision by the Scottish National party conference that it would remove Trident from Scottish soil while still seeking membership of Nato was non-negotiable. Salmond said: "Nobody seriously believes that Scotland, a country of 5.25 million people, would want to be in possession of nuclear weapons. That would be a bad thing for Scotland. I think that would be a bad thing for nuclear proliferation around the world." | In an interview on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the first minister said that Friday's decision by the Scottish National party conference that it would remove Trident from Scottish soil while still seeking membership of Nato was non-negotiable. Salmond said: "Nobody seriously believes that Scotland, a country of 5.25 million people, would want to be in possession of nuclear weapons. That would be a bad thing for Scotland. I think that would be a bad thing for nuclear proliferation around the world." |
| Salmond narrowly won the conference vote on Friday, which reversed a decades-long SNP policy to leave Nato, as the party deliberately began to move deeper into traditional Labour territory in Scotland. | Salmond narrowly won the conference vote on Friday, which reversed a decades-long SNP policy to leave Nato, as the party deliberately began to move deeper into traditional Labour territory in Scotland. |
| In the wake of last Monday's deal with David Cameron over the independence referendum, a series of opinion polls have shown that support among Scots for leaving the UK has slumped to about 30%, with support for remaining rising to 58%. | In the wake of last Monday's deal with David Cameron over the independence referendum, a series of opinion polls have shown that support among Scots for leaving the UK has slumped to about 30%, with support for remaining rising to 58%. |
| Salmond, the SNP and the Yes Scotland pro-independence campaign have reacted by trying to reposition themselves to the left of Labour, attacking recent speeches by the Scottish Labour leader, Johann Lamont, in which she questioned the affordability of universal services such as free prescriptions and free university tuition. A poll by Panelbase for the Sunday Times suggested this strategy could be popular. It showed that backing for independence surged sharply from 37% to 52% if voters thought the Tories would win the next UK general election – turning a deficit in support into a 15-point lead. | Salmond, the SNP and the Yes Scotland pro-independence campaign have reacted by trying to reposition themselves to the left of Labour, attacking recent speeches by the Scottish Labour leader, Johann Lamont, in which she questioned the affordability of universal services such as free prescriptions and free university tuition. A poll by Panelbase for the Sunday Times suggested this strategy could be popular. It showed that backing for independence surged sharply from 37% to 52% if voters thought the Tories would win the next UK general election – turning a deficit in support into a 15-point lead. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, reinforced the shift in territory by announcing that the Scottish government would increase spending on crisis grants and community care by £9.2m next April by setting up a Scottish welfare fund. It would use Scotland's block of £23.8m for the social fund, which is being transferred to the Scottish government by the Department of Work and Pensions, and use the extra money to replace several years of real terms cuts by successive Labour and Tory governments. The Child Poverty Action Group said her initiative was "hugely welcome". | Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, reinforced the shift in territory by announcing that the Scottish government would increase spending on crisis grants and community care by £9.2m next April by setting up a Scottish welfare fund. It would use Scotland's block of £23.8m for the social fund, which is being transferred to the Scottish government by the Department of Work and Pensions, and use the extra money to replace several years of real terms cuts by successive Labour and Tory governments. The Child Poverty Action Group said her initiative was "hugely welcome". |
| Sturgeon asked conference delegates: "What has happened to Labour? The truth is Scotland doesn't have a Labour party and a Tory party any more. What we have is the Thatcherite Tories of Ruth Davidson and the one-nation Tories of Johann Lamont. One Scotland, two Tory parties. Labour should be ashamed of itself." | Sturgeon asked conference delegates: "What has happened to Labour? The truth is Scotland doesn't have a Labour party and a Tory party any more. What we have is the Thatcherite Tories of Ruth Davidson and the one-nation Tories of Johann Lamont. One Scotland, two Tory parties. Labour should be ashamed of itself." |
| Claiming both Labour and the Tories now saw Scotland as a "something for nothing society", she said: "The unionist parties don't just oppose independence – they want to roll back the hard-won gains of devolution as well. | Claiming both Labour and the Tories now saw Scotland as a "something for nothing society", she said: "The unionist parties don't just oppose independence – they want to roll back the hard-won gains of devolution as well. |
| "Free personal care, medicines free at the point of need, bus travel for pensioners, education based on the ability to learn not the ability to pay," she said. "They are the hallmarks of a decent society and we will fight to protect them." | "Free personal care, medicines free at the point of need, bus travel for pensioners, education based on the ability to learn not the ability to pay," she said. "They are the hallmarks of a decent society and we will fight to protect them." |
| Salmond faces battles with his opponents and internal critics over the new stance on Nato, under which his government would also insist on only participating in military actions sanctioned by the UN. After losing Friday's vote, rebels inside the party now want him to prove that Nato would allow a non-nuclear Scotland to join the alliance. | Salmond faces battles with his opponents and internal critics over the new stance on Nato, under which his government would also insist on only participating in military actions sanctioned by the UN. After losing Friday's vote, rebels inside the party now want him to prove that Nato would allow a non-nuclear Scotland to join the alliance. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |