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I do not have confidence UK is safe from Russian threats, says Swinney
Swinney said the UK government lacks enough coastal and offshore presence as MI5 warns Russia is the top security threat.
- First Minister John Swinney stated he lacks confidence the United Kingdom is safe from potential Russian threats, expressing he was "very worried" about a "lack of coastal and offshore protection."
- Swinney's concerns follow security warnings from MI5 head Sir Ken McCallum, who named Russia "aggressor number one" amid significant Russian activity identified north of Shetland.
- The SNP leader argued the UK government maintains insufficient "presence" in vulnerable areas off Scotland's coast, where the UK's nuclear submarine fleet is based at Faslane, west of Glasgow.
- Swinney insisted independence would not weaken security, noting he has "always been a believer in defence co-operation between Scotland and other countries," citing Canada joining the SAFE programme.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham, visiting Scotland this weekend, previously pledged to build the UK's "hard power and deterrence" while remaining "utterly determined" to prove wrong Swinney's prediction he would be the last prime minister of the UK.
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Scotland's First Minister John Sweeney has said he is not convinced that the UK is sufficiently protected from potential Russian threats. In an interview with the BBC, he said that the British government, which is responsible for defense, does not have enough of a "presence" in vulnerable areas off the Scottish coast. "I am not convinced that the UK is protected from Russian threats," Sweeney said. He said that the waters north of the Shetland I…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources3
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 33%
C 67%
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