Commenting on the press release by Jim Murphy MP on the Hebrides Range, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil said:

“This is not the first time Jim Murphy has been making threatening noises about the jobs at Hebrides Range.  When he was in government his Labour Party put the workers through 18 months of anguish about their futures as they threatened to close Hebrides Range.

“Labour only backed down after I had built a cross-party alliance and through work by the community and local council which left Labour isolated as the only political party threatening the jobs at Hebrides Range.

“Fortunately, if we do vote for independence, the future of Hebrides Range will be out of the hands of London politicians such as Jim Murphy, who when in government were trying to close the Range, and instead will be in the hands of The Scottish Government.

“Further, the Scottish Government mention the Hebrides Range specifically on page 246 of the white Paper.

We do know that this is affordable because Scotland puts £3.5 billion into the UK Defence Budget but only sees about £2.1 billion spent in Scotland.

Finally, that scaremongering press release by Jim Murphy on the Hebrides Range shows how empty and negative the No Campaign is, they are offering nothing but more of the same.  They speak to Scotland like Mr Bumble spoke to Oliver Twist, talking down the ambitions of more and better for our Country.  The reality is that the rest of Europe is watching Scotland to see if we have the confidence to join the other 142 countries that have joined the United Nations since its inception in 1945.  Europe alone has as many independent countries as the World once had due to the decline of empires. A Yes vote is Scotland’s only guarantee to get the Government we vote for.

SNP Defence Spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP said:

“The Scottish Government has committed to keeping all facilities – unlike the constant decline and litany of cuts to the defence estate in Scotland by successive UK governments.

“The range is totally unique – and is used by many countries. It cannot be moved – it offers the only place in Europe where over the horizon missile testing can be conducted. Therefore it is very important to Scotland and its allies and it would remain open.”

ENDS