Local MSP Gil Paterson says he was horrified to hear Jo Swinson say she would be prepared to press the Nuclear button if she became Prime Minister.
Ms Swinson made the statement during her enthusiastic performance at the launch of the Liberal Democrat election campaign in London yesterday. Speaking to the Milngavie Herald Mr Paterson, who has always held a principled stance against nuclear weapons, said; “I was horrified to hear Jo Swinson say she would be prepared to press the button in a nuclear conflict which would incinerate her entire constituency but not her own family as she lives and works 400 miles away. “Having these weapons of mass destruction on our doorstep puts us in the target zone. Ms Swinson may think that her willingness to indiscriminately kill innocent people at the same time as endangering her constituents makes her strong. I have another word for it and I’m sure the people of Milngavie and Bearsden will too. “One of the things people who are in favour of nuclear weapons don’t consider is the potential for an accident to take place at the nuclear base on the Clyde, either as a result of technological failure or human error. It’s one of my main objections and the chances of it happening are equal to that of nuclear conflict. The nuclear industry, and the Faslane Base in particular, do not have a good safety record and I wonder if Jo Swinson would be so blasé if this danger was on her doorstep, 400 miles away, where she lives with her children.” Mr Paterson continued saying; “Scotland has consistently shown itself to be utterly opposed to nuclear weapons - a position taken by the vast majority of Scottish people in survey after survey over many, many years, the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, Scottish MPs and a majority of Scotland’s political parties and trade unions.” |
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