The SNP has called on the UK Government to redirect defence spending away from nuclear weapons and towards strengthening Britain’s conventional armed forces.

The party’s intervention follows the Government’s decision to increase spending on the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent by £15 billion.

The SNP argues that investing the same level of funding in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force would deliver greater military capability while also increasing the number of service personnel.

According to the party, £15 billion could fund around 35,000 Army personnel each year over a ten year period or support an additional 30,000 service members across the armed forces.

The comments come amid continuing debate over the future direction of UK defence spending and the balance between maintaining the country’s nuclear deterrent and investing in conventional military capability.

SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan MP said:

“The UK government’s nuclear obsession is putting Scotland and the UK at risk.

“In an increasingly dangerous world, the Labour Party would rather spend billions on nuclear bombs than invest in conventional forces.

“This comes after a decade of cuts to the armed forces, dismantling our navy, slashing Scottish regiments, and hollowing out investment in essential equipment and training.

“The government will make an argument that nuclear weapons support jobs, but conventional forces offer a far greater rate of employment. This money could be so much better spent.

“Andy Burnham must drop Labour’s nuclear obsession and bring forward drastically needed investment in conventional forces without delay.”

The UK Government has consistently maintained that the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent remains central to national security, while continuing investment across all branches of the armed forces forms part of its wider defence strategy.

The debate over future defence spending is expected to continue as the Government sets out its longer term military priorities.