General · 27 June 2026
Scotland's safety at risk from UK defence cuts, SNP says
The SNP claims Westminster's armed forces cuts have left Scotland vulnerable, with personnel numbers and defence spending falling for decades. Analysis shows the UK armed forces are less than half the size they were in 1979, with significant reductions across the Army, Royal Navy, and RAF. The Ministry of Defence, however, states it spent over £2 billion in Scotland in 2024/25, supporting 11,800 jobs.
Reported by Independent · How we write briefs