An MSP is calling for the transportation of nuclear weapons through one of Scotland’s largest cities to cease after an anti-nuclear campaign group revealed nuclear weapons were in a convoy which passed through Glasgow late last Thursday night.
SNP MSP Bill Kidd has written to Defence Secretary Philipp Hammond calling for an immediate halt to nuclear convoys travelling through Glasgow – after CND revealed that nuclear weapons were driven through the city.
Mr Kidd has condemned the “unacceptable” risk to the public from the transportation of weapons of mass destruction through Scotland’s largest city – and has made clear that the only way to ensure that nuclear weapons are removed from Scotland is to vote Yes in September’s referendum.
In his letter the MSP writes: “As one of Glasgow’s MSPs, I want to express my very grave concerns about the potential risk to the public of transporting these weapons through the centre of our city.
“It is absolutely unacceptable for weapons of mass destruction like this to travel through Scotland’s largest city – the repercussions of any accident could have been devastating.
“With that in mind, I am calling for an immediate halt to the transportation of nuclear weapons through Glasgow and other densely populated areas.”
According to Scottish CND, a convoy of more than 20 military vehicles drove through the centre of Glasgow on the M74 shortly after midnight last week. The convoy included four special lorries which transport Trident nuclear bombs.
The nuclear convoy was stopped for one hour near Loch Lomond by protestors from Faslane Peace Camp. One climbed on top of a nuclear transporter. Four peace campers were arrested.
The convoy had left the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Burghfield around 9am on Thursday. It arrived at the Coulport nuclear store in the early hours of Friday morning.
Another nuclear convoy which travelled through Glasgow earlier this year was widely condemned – after it emerged that neither the public nor the local authority were warned in advance.
Commenting, SNP MSP Mr Kidd, who is Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament said:
“This practice is deeply worrying and poses an unacceptable risk to the people of Glasgow – the idea that weapons of mass destruction are being transported through our city while we sleep is absolutely chilling.
“The impact of any safety breach does not bear thinking about – and I have written to Phillip Hammond to call for an immediate halt to these weapons being driven through our city.
“The risk to the public from these convoys simply shows the utter folly of basing nuclear weapons just 30 miles from Scotland’s biggest population centre.
“The people of Glasgow and Scotland as a whole have made clear our opposition to weapons of massive destruction being based on the Clyde – but yet Westminster is committed to wasting another £100bn on its obsession with nuclear weapons.
“With a Yes vote will we be able to put a stop to these immoral weapons travelling through our cities when we sleep by banning them from Scotland for good.”