Moray MP Angus Robertson has insisted that better defence decisions will be made in Scotland through a clear defence policy to be revealed as part of the Independence White Paper to be published next month.
Mr Robertson was speaking out after the new UK defence minister with particular responsibility for Scottish bases made a flying visit to RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks on Wednesday.
The Moray MP is his party spokesman on defence issues at Westminster and prior to the ministerial visit to Moray challenged Dr Andrew Murrison to apologise to the people of Moray for mistakes made through the closure of the former Nimrod base at Kinloss and a protracted decision over the future of RAF Lossiemouth.
Speaking at the Lossiemouth base Dr Murrison said: “At the moment we have no clarity from the SNP on how they would do defence, and how much they are going to spend on it.”
Mr Robertson hit back by highlighting the record of disproportionate cuts suffered by military based in Scotland. He said: “It is disappointing that the minister did not apologise to the people of Moray for the economic damage and uncertainty caused by his government’s botched basing review.
“Westminster has an appalling recent record of disproportionate defence cuts in Scotland which have impacted particularly on defence-dependent communities such as Moray.”