2014 Scottish independence referendum: Difference between revisions

One of Scotland’s most senior military figures has warned on 8 November 2013 that independence would leave the country “inadequately protected” and the rest of the UK “less well defended” than it is today. Retired [[Black Watch]] commander Lieutenant General Sir [[Alistair Irwin]], a former Adjutant General of the [[British Army]] and Commander of [[Sandhurst]], gave his frank assessment at a conference on global security at the University of Glasgow on 8 November 2013. Sir Irwin said that "The result of a split, in my military opinion, would be a British Isles collectively less well defended and whose global interest would be much less well served than they are now... From a military point of view there is I think little doubt that the nation and its interests, despite the best efforts of all involved, would not only be less well protected than they are now but more to the point would actually be inadequately protected... We are far better as we are."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10436345/Independence-would-weaken-defence-of-UK-and-Scotland-warns-general.html "Independence would 'weaken' defence of UK and Scotland, warns general" 8 Nov 2013]</ref>