A quarter of service personnel stationed in Scotland will disappear as a result of the Strategic Defence Review, the SNP has claimed.
The party’s defence spokesman, Angus Robertson, said the number of military posts would be cut from 12,000 to 9000 due to the measures announced yesterday.
“We are looking at a 25% cut of Scottish military posts, which is worse than anywhere else in the UK-and with these cuts largely occurring in Moray, which is the most defence-dependent community in the UK,” he said.
“Scotland has already endured mammoth defence cuts over the last decade under Labour, and these have been compounded by the decisions announced by the Prime Minister.
“The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is continuing the trend of concentrating defence manpower, basing and spending in the south of England.
“This is a triple whammy for Scotland, bearing in mind the cuts we have had, the cuts we now face and the impact of wider budget cuts to the Scottish Government that will hit jobs, services and investment.”
Mr Robertson said that since the last defence review in 1997-98 there have been more than 10,000 defence job losses in Scotland, and there has been a defence underspend of more than £5.6 billion.
However, deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the decision to press with the aircraft carrier contracts.
“The decision to continue the construction of aircraft carriers on the Clyde and at Rosyth is good news for our shipyards and will ease the concerns of workers there.”
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said the defence review would have a “devastating effect” on the Scottish economy.
“The coalition government has a duty and obligation to support the Moray community after its decision to axe RAF Kinloss,” he said.
“Moray relies on the defence industry, probably more than other area in Britain. Almost 2500 people are employed at Kinloss alone, and the knock-on effect along the supply chain could have a terrible effect on the community.
“The decision of the Con-Dem government to implement cuts too fast and too deeply will have a devastating effect on not just Moray, but the Scottish economy.
“The news that the carrier contracts will continue is welcome, but there are serious concerns about the impact of coalition’s short-term thinking regarding the future of Rosyth.
“Rosyth is the premier refitting yard in the UK, and the decision to mothball one of the carriers after three years could have a serious impact on its long-term future and shipbuilding in Scotland.”
Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie said, “We now see the stark reality for Scotland of Labour’s monumental economic incompetence.
“Labour left a defence budget £38 billion in the red-that is as incomprehensible as it is unacceptable, but it has to be dealt with and before the SNP gets on its high horse, Alex Salmond needs to remember that Scotland only has defence jobs and contracts because we are part of the United Kingdom.
“Alex Salmond’s policy of separation would decimate thousands of jobs, threaten our skills base and leave us isolated and vulnerable.”
Welcoming the carrier decision, Ms Goldie said, “That is vital in allowing Scotland to maintain its position as one of the leading shipbuilding nations in the world.
“Six thousand jobs have been secured, apprenticeships can continue and the expertise of a skilled workforce recognised and valued.”