UK draws plans to move nuclear-armed submarines if Scotland gets independence

SANAA, Sept. 02 (YPA) – The UK authorities have drawn up action plans to move their nuclear submarines from Scotland to the United States or France if Scotland is independent, The Financial Times reported , citing informed sources

According to the Financial Times, Britain had three options after the formation of an “independent Scottish anti-nuclear state”, The first would be to relocate the bases elsewhere on the British Isles, with the Royal Navy’s Devonport base cited as the most likely location to replace Faslane.

The first being the transfer of submarine bases elsewhere on the British Isles, with the Royal Navy’s Devonport base being referred to as the most likely location for submarine reception.

The second option would be to move the UK’s nuclear bases to an allied country such as the US, with one defence expert citing Kings Bay, Georgia, the base for the US Navy’s Atlantic fleet of Trident submarines. Officials also examined moving the UK’s submarine base to Île Longue in Brittany, France.

The second option is to transfer British nuclear bases to an allied state such as the United States or France , which is the preferred option of the UK Treasury, as it would require minimal capital investment, according to officials.

The third option is to negotiate a new British Overseas Territory within an independent Scottish state that would contain the Faslane and Coulport bases, dubbed by one insider as a “Nuclear Gibraltar”.

The UK government is strongly opposed to Scottish independence, but the prospect of a possible break-up of the kingdom is of concern to the British government after the ruling Scottish National Party returned to power in May and pledged to ban all nuclear weapons in an independent Scotland.

E.M