Defence and Security

The Defence footprint in Scotland is of massive value and strategic importance and the size, format and capability of the Scottish Defence Force would be primarily based on naval forces and coastal defence for the following reasons:

• The size of Territorial waters and EEZ.
• The impact of climate change on the opening of new sea routes with the melting of ice caps in the Arctic Ocean.
• The need to patrol and enforce Scottish Fishing rights and protect offshore assets in both hydrocarbons and renewables.

ALBA believe that the Defence and Security of an independent Scotland should be underpinned not only by the principal of Defending Scotland but also by being a nation that supports the peaceful common good of the world.

We will advocate for the Government of an independent Scotland to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and will campaign for other nations of the world to do so.

There is a long-standing national consensus in existence that Scotland should not host nuclear weapons and ALBA Party demand that the negotiating party for an independent Scotland secure the speedy and safe removal of the nuclear fleet from Faslane, which will be replaced by conventional naval forces; all weapons of mass destruction and all associated nuclear materials negotiated to be safely removed by day one of Scotland becoming an independent nation.

The Government of an independent Scotland should inform NATO that Scotland will not host nuclear weapons and that Scotland will cooperate with NATO in so far as its member states participate in UN sanctioned operations or in non nuclear defensive exercises. ALBA do not believe that Scotland should seek NATO membership.

We believe that Scotland should be a participating state of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to work for stability, peace and democracy through political dialogue about shared values and through practical work that contributes to sustainable progress.