Aberdeen-born, former Royal Marine Commando and MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Al Carns, is being platformed as a ‘dark horse’ in the Labour leadership story.
From BBC England today:
Former defence minister Al Carns has said a major economics speech due to be given by Andy Burnham will help him decide whether to challenge the Labour leadership favourite.
Carns resigned as Armed Forces Minister earlier this month due to concerns over the defence budget, a pressing issue for the next prime minister.
The government is expected to reveal its Defence Investment Plan ahead of a Nato summit on 7 July, despite the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer.
Carns said the topic of defence was one of the “key factors” he would be looking out for in Burnham’s speech, stating: “It’s much broader than just defence, bombs, bullets and battleships, it’s actually about national resilience.”
There’s not a word on Scotland in his comments.
Why should there be? This:
With less than 4% of the defence spending UK has no credibility in Scotland
Lack of credibility with the UK’s NATO partners is well known and well-reported but the media operating in Scotland fail to note that other lack of credibility, within the UK’s parts.
In August 2025:
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was all over ‘Scottish’ media in August 2025 with promises of ‘billions‘ to be invested in the Scottish economy via increased defence spending.
Leaving aside the fact that much of the spending will be on new hunter-killer submarines built in Cumbria, the reporting fails to mention this key fact:
Scotland’s share of UK defense spending is approximately 3.7% to 3.9% based on recent data. In 2021/22, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) spent £2.01 billion in Scotland out of a total UK defense expenditure of £53.9 billion in 2023/24. This equates to roughly 3.7% (£2.01 billion ÷ £53.9 billion). Another source from 2024 indicates £2.09 billion was spent in Scotland, which, against a projected UK defense budget of £56.9 billion for 2024/25, suggests a share of about 3.7% (£2.09 billion ÷ £56.9 billion). However, a 2023 source estimates Scotland’s share at around 4% of total UK defense expenditure, though this is not fully aligned with population share (Scotland’s population is ~8.1% of the UK’s). The variation in figures reflects differences in reporting years and spending definitions.
So, 8.1% of the population but only 3.9% of the defence spending, less than half what we should get for the revenue we send to the Treasury?
Only £2bn currently spent and this 0.3% increase in that will mean billions spent in Scotland? We’re talking peanuts aren’t we?
Sources:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8175/
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Talking-up Scotland 
And they can remove their nuclear subs and clean up afterwards. That’ll be another few billion.
But they won’t. Westminster sees Scotland as a useful base for its coming war against Russia.
Remember the so called “shadow” tanker the navy illegally boarded and parked in the Moray Firth.
Why a far-flung RAF base could become integral in fight against Russia
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While the UK Gov. won’t spend much of OUR money in Scotland it is happy to bomb the fcuk out of us at Tain ( RAF ) and Cape Wrath ( naval ) bombing ranges .
With Independence the ”UK” loses its only air and naval bombing ranges , its refuse dump for decrepit nuclear subs ( Rosyth ) and its only base for Trident subs .
And if Labour and Anas have their way we will be the dumping ground for the waste from their new SMRs .
What’s not to like , eh ?
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