By Alan Richardson

A BID to gather one million signatures on a petition demanding the reversal of moves to merge the Scottish regiments reached one of the campaign’s most keenly fought battle zones yesterday.

Local politicians arrived at headquarters of The Black Watch, Balhousie Castle in Perth, to put their mark on the petition, which was launched earlier this week.

Pete Wishart MP and Roseanna Cunningham MSP explained they fully back the petition which calls for an immediate defence review of the government decision to reduce the number of infantry battalions in the UK and, pending this, cancel the creation of a Scottish super-regiment.

It is hoped the petition can be completed for presentation to the Westminster parliament on November 30.

Mr Wishart said, “I am fully supportive of the latest efforts by the Save the Scottish Regiments campaign to petition the Westminster Parliament to reverse the merger decisions.

“The target of one million signatures is achievable, if the support that the people of Perthshire have given so far to the campaign is anything to go by.

“Defence Secretary John Reid should be made to think again before he carries through this treacherous act to destroy the historic tradition of the Scottish Regiments.

“Once more, I would urge the people of Perthshire to give the campaign their support. They can either obtain copies of the petition from Roseanna’s or my office or download them from the Save the Scottish Regiment website at http://www.petitionto parliament.co.uk/”

Ms Cunningham added, “Individual regiments with a long tradition and a wellspring of respect in their local areas are to be cast aside and replaced by an amalgamated unit that will sever forever the ties between local communities and the infantry.

“Recruitment figures have already started to tumble.

“While Scottish soldiers fought Blair’s battles in Iraq, he was betraying them back home. It is still not too late for the Government to admit their mistake and reverse this decision and I urge them to do so.

“Let us raise as many signatures as possible on this petition.

“The Government may want to take St Andrew off the Black Watch cap badges but with this petition we can deliver a real St Andrew’s Day Surprise and show them the huge weight of public opinion that there is behind the retention of the traditional structure of the Scottish infantry regiments and for The Black Watch, in particular.”

Meanwhile, Murdo Fraser MSP also fired a salvo at the government as the latest recruitment figures emerged, showing the army is now 2130 soldiers short of its required manpower.

Mr Fraser said the cause within Scotland was the amalgamation decision and called for army chiefs to retain the individual regimental identity of the Scottish regiments in order to retain the link with regimental associations and communities throughout Scotland.

He said, “The news that our army is over 2000 soldiers short of its required manpower is very worrying. This is yet another reason why this Government must not force through the amalgamation of Scotland’s proud regiments.

“It is a well known fact that recruitment is strongly based on the regimental associations and their connection to the local communities.

“The Black Watch is intertwined with our local area. However, the Labour Government’s current policy aims to break this proud and historic link.

“If we lose these regimental connections with the local community then we will see recruitment fall.”