Tom Clarke
Main Page: Tom Clarke (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)Department Debates - View all Tom Clarke's debates with the Ministry of Defence
(12 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberI thank my hon. Friend for his welcome to my welcome to his report. It gives me an opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to my hon. Friend, who not only has had tremendous input into the report, but has championed the cause of reserves for as long as I can remember in my time in Parliament and deserves great gratitude. He is absolutely correct that the ideas he has just reiterated, which are contained in his report, will form a central part of the Government’s course for the time ahead.
The Secretary of State referred a few moments ago to what he described as the potential for independence in Scotland. Will he explain what he meant by that?
I mean that the Labour party was unbelievably beaten by the Scottish Nationalists in the Scottish parliamentary elections on a manifesto from the Scottish Nationalists that they would hold a referendum on independence. That is what I meant, and there are serious implications for the Union in terms of defence, were that ever to occur.