A FIRST victory has been won in the campaign to stop the Trident nuclear weapons system coming to Scotland.
Faced with growing public opposition — including a policy of non-cooperation by the local authorities — the government has scrapped plans for a massive development of the Coulport naval base to service the missiles.
The maintenance programmme will now be switched to the United States, at an estimated saving of £500 million.
The decision takes away the government's only selling point for Trident — that it would provide jobs for the people of Scotland. The obvious aim is to remove property and environmental concern. But it does nothing to reduce the threat of nuclear destruction which Trident poses.
It seems that the Clyde will still be used as an anchorage for the submarines, with repairs to the subs carried out at Faslane. The Trident warheads will still be dismantled at Coulport before being taken to the US for servicing.
Certainly the campaign to stop Trident altogether will continue. Councillor Ian Leitch, chairperson of the Scottish Campaign Against Trident, pledged that, 'SCAT will not stop until the whole Trident project has been abandoned'.
Strathclyde Regional Council is also going ahead with plans to hold its own public enquiry since the Minister of Defence refuses to do so. 'The full implications of having Trident on our doorstep must still be made public', said deputy leader Charles Gray.
The next focus for the campaign will be the week of action against Trident which SCAT is organising at the end of October. This will culminate in 'Stop Trident Day' on Saturday 30 October, when it is hoped that events will take place in every city, town and village in Scotland — with support from England and Wales.
A particular emphasis in the week of action will be on winning labour movement support. Plans for further developing the campaign in this area will be discussed at the trade union conference SCAT is organising on 13 November.
Further information from: SCAT, Third Floor, 420 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2.