Another vote on Scottish independence is fast approaching after Westminster voted to renew Trident against the wishes of nearly every MP in Scotland, the SNP has warned.
In a vote in the House of Commons, 58 of Scotland’s 59 MPs voted against Trident renewal – with Scotland’s only Tory MP, David Mundell, being the sole supporter.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said the vote exacerbates the “democratic deficit” in Scotland, coming just weeks after Scottish voters overwhelmingly backed membership of the European Union but were outvoted by those in England and Wales.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said she will hold another referendum if she believes it is the best way to protect Scotland’s interests in Europe, but has pledged to consider other options.
Mr Robertson said the day when the people of Scotland determine their political future is now “fast approaching”.
He said: “Only a few short weeks ago Scotland voted to remain within the European Union.
“If Scotland is a nation, and Scotland is a nation, it is not a normal situation for the state to totally disregard the wishes of the people, and this Government has a democratic deficit in Scotland, and with today’s vote on Trident it’s going to get worse, not better.
“It will be for the Scottish people to determine whether we are properly protected in Europe and better represented by a Government that we actually elect – at this rate, that day is fast approaching.”
Conservative MPs accused the SNP of disregarding the 13,000 Scottish jobs that unions say are dependent on the Trident fleet at HMNB Clyde, in Faslane on the west coast of Scotland.
They also mocked the SNP for their support of nuclear-armed military alliance Nato, a policy they adopted following a U-turn ahead of the last independence referendum.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “The SNP ignores at least half of Scottish public opinion and is a party that is content to dispense with our deterrent, but happy to cower under an American nuclear Nato umbrella.”
SNP defence spokesman Brendan O’Hara, whose constituency contains Faslane, said HMNB Clyde has a “bright non-nuclear future as a conventional naval base in an independent Scotland”.
SNP MP Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) said the vote “will be another nail in the coffin for the union, insisting: “Absolutely my country will be independent and free of nuclear weapons.“
SNP MP Steven Paterson (Stirling) said: “Make no mistake, these weapons of mass destruction will not be tolerated in an independent Scotland.”
In a statement issued after the debate, Mr Robertson said: “The UK government must respect Scotland’s clear decision against Trident renewal and remove these nuclear weapons of mass destruction from the Clyde.
“It would be democratically unacceptable if in the face of this clear opposition the UK Government were to impose Trident nuclear weapons on the Clyde against Scotland’s wishes.”
Ms Sturgeon earlier accused the UK Government of “playing games” over Trident, by calling the vote at a time of political disarray with Labour divided and the UK preparing for negotiations to leave the European Union.
She told the Press Association: “I think it should have been delayed. We have just had a period of perhaps the greatest political chaos and turmoil that we’ve seen in recent times, and this vote is happening without the proper scrutiny that should have led up to it.”
Scotland’s only Labour MP Ian Murray, who is opposed to the renewal of Trident, did not speak during the debate.
Earlier, he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “The country is completely divided on this, I think actually the latest polling shows marginal support for the renewal of Trident.
“Given the Labour Party is a broad church of representation across the country, it’s little wonder that the party is split on this if the country is as well.”
Meanwhile, four protesters chained themselves to the gates of Holyrood Palace, the Queen’s residence in Edinburgh outside the Scottish Parliament.
Malcolm Bruce and David Mackenzie unfurled a banner which read “HMS Trident 2? We say naw!” and chanted “Ban the bomb”.
Wheelchair user Mike Blackshaw chained himself to the public entrance gate, and linked arms with Janet Fenton of the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Resource Centre.
Mr Mackenzie said: “We deliberately chose the palace for our demonstration as representing the British state and its catastrophic intention to renew and modernise its ability to commit mass murder.”
