Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Scotland, sets out why the UK Labour Government is making defence a new engine of growth — with billions in investment, thousands of skilled jobs, and a sharp contrast to SNP inaction, he argues.

We’re in a changed and more dangerous world. And in recognising and responding to these geopolitical changes, the UK Labour Government is transforming defence into an even more powerful engine for growth for Scotland.

Scotland is a globally recognised centre of defence excellence and when we back our service personnel and Scottish industry, we keep ourselves and our allies secure whilst delivering skilled jobs and growth for communities and workers across the nation.

The first duty as a government is, of course, to keep the country safe. This understanding underpins everything we do in an era where economic security is an essential foundation of national security.

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The stark reality is that the threats we now face are more serious and less predictable than at any time since the Cold War.

This demands nothing less than a new era for UK defence and the UK Labour Government is meeting this responsibility head-on with a historic uplift in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, with the clear ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament.

This represents billions of pounds of additional investment designed to end the hollowing out of our Armed Forces by previous governments and enable our country to step up, lead in NATO, and take greater responsibility for our collective self-defence.

A MiG 31(Image: )

This increase in defence spending will be felt in Scotland through jobs and growth. Our Defence Industrial Strategy sets out a clear pathway to strengthen our industrial base, boost productivity, and secure highly skilled jobs for workers and communities across Scotland and the UK.

Our Defence Growth Deals are backed by £250 million in total investment and represent a strategic and tangible commitment to unlocking opportunities.

Whilst further details of the Defence Growth Deal for Scotland will be unveiled in the coming months, our vision is clear.

We want to forge long-term partnerships with local partners to unite business and research institutions, harnessing expertise and resources in support of the Armed Forces whilst targeting........

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