Former defense chief: UK could lose nuclear capability in the event of Scottish independence

A former British defense chief has warned that the UK stands to lose its nuclear capability once the Scots achieve statehood.

The dire warning was made by Rear Admiral John Gower, who until December 2014 served as the Assistant Chief of Defense Staff (Nuclear &Chemical, Biological) at the Ministry of Defense.  

Setting out his thoughts in a European Leadership Network paper, entitled Implications for United Kingdon Nuclear deterrence should the union fail, Admiral Gower argues that unless Scotland were to agree to “lease back” the Faslane naval base to the remaining UK, Trident would either have to be relocated to an “allied” country or be scrapped altogether.  

“A Scottish secession would therefore generate fundamental operational and fiscal issues for the UK’s nuclear deterrent”, Admiral Gower argues.

Admiral Gower is at pains to point out that besides the Faslane naval base (which hosts the vanguard-class submarines), the entire infrastructure supporting the UK’s submarine-based nuclear capability is based in Scotland.

These include the warhead loading site at Coulport and nearby testing ranges, which are all based in Scotland or Scottish waters.

According to Gower, alternative sites in the UK, notably Milford Haven in Wales and Falmouth in Cornwall, are out of the question as both are heavily industrialized and in the case of Milford Haven it has a relatively large population.

Meanwhile, Devonport (in south-west England), where the vanguard-class submarines are refitted, would require extensive engineering work and is at any rate far too close to the city of Plymouth.

Admiral Gower considers basing the Trident submarine fleet overseas, notably at King’s Bay in Georgia (USA), where British submarines go to pick up missiles.

He also considers Ile Longue in Brittany (France), where the French nuclear fleet is based, before dismissing both ideas as “highly speculative”, “controversial” and “legally fraught”.     

Admiral Gower’s scholarly contribution to the debate comes amid intensifying interest in the fate of the UK’s nuclear weapons capability in the event of Scottish statehood.

The Scottish parliamentary election early next month – where pro-independence parties are expected to secure a majority – is expected to escalate tensions between Scottish nationalists and the Tory government in London which has so far refused to hold another referendum on Scottish independence.

Scottish nationalists have long promised to remove Trident from their territory once they achieve their ultimate politicla goal of independnece.

The issue is so sensitive that according to Admiral Gower British government officials are banned from doing any work in relation to the fate of Trident if and when Scotland secedes from the UK to become an independent state.  

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