With six months to go until Scotland votes on independence, attention has finally turned to one of the most important challenges facing this new state – whether it could defend itself. The SNP has promised a “seamless transition”; but at the Scottish Tory conference this weekend, the Defence Secretary warned that a separate Scotland “could not hope to develop the same level of protection and resilience”.
In fact, Philip Hammond was dramatically understating the case. For the implications of a disunited kingdom – in terms of the defence and security both of Scotland and of Britain – are dire indeed.
