The fight to save RAF Leuchars received official backing from Perth and Kinross Council during a debate which threatened to spill over into a political spat on Wednesday.
Councillors unanimously agreed to back a motion by Provost John Hulbert and his depute Willie Wilson, urging the government to increase defence expenditure in Scotland to save the Fife base and equally closure-threatened RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.
It called on the authority to “recognise the strength and justice of campaigns by the communities of Fife and Moray to support the retention of the Royal Air Force bases at Leuchars and Lossiemouth.”
Both sites are under threat of closure following the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, with a decision to be announced after the Scottish elections in May.
Dr Hulbert said both should be kept because Scotland already receives a below-capita spend on defence compared to south of the border, adding, “It would be invidious for this council to support one over the other. I suggest Perth and Kinross notifies Fife and Moray of our support for their campaigns and state our position, for strategic and economic reasons and equality across the UK, neither base should close.”
Mr Wilson said, “This directly affects Perth and Kinross as the vitality of our sister council in Fife is in our own best interests.”
They were backed by opposition Conservative leader Alexander Stewart, who said, “The threat of closure of these locations is having a detrimental effect on spending power locally, which would lead in turn to small businesses closing.”
However, he criticised the SNP’s restated anti-nuclear stance and the expected unanimity was further threatened by an attack by fellow Tory councillor Ian Campbell on the SNP’s “hypocritical” defence position.
“They are waxing lyrical about the value of these bases without noting the irony that, if Scotland were to become an independent nation, one of the first things they would do would be to remove the ‘foreign’ troops from Scottish soil,” he said.
“Not one SNP politician will answer the question will they retain the bases at current strengths and complements? The answer is deafening silence.”
Labour leader Archie MacLellan was dismayed that the motion had become political, saying, “We’re talking about Scottish jobs for Scottish people within Scotland and that’s vital, whatever your political leanings.”
The motion was passed unanimously.
In other matters, the council unanimously agreed to a £500 wedding gift for Prince William and Kate Middleton which will be donated to charity, according to the couple’s wishes.