The discovery of radioactive contamination in Loch Long has sparked fury and fresh calls for independence.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that emissions of radioactive tritium from the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Coulport have more than doubled in just five years.
The depot sits beside the loch and serves as the UK’s nuclear bomb store, a presence the SNP has long argued is both dangerous and unwanted in Scotland.
Decaying infrastructure has left over 1,500 corroded pipes in place, leading to repeated bursts and a major leak in 2019 that flooded nuclear processing areas and sent tritium-contaminated water directly into Loch Long.
Bill Kidd MSP called the contamination “the direct consequence of Westminster’s decision to impose nuclear weapons on Scotland,” describing Trident as “dangerous, immoral, and completely incompatible with the peaceful, forward-looking nation we want to be.”
He said Scotland’s opposition to weapons of mass destruction runs deep, and that “with independence, we can scrap Trident, clean up the mess it has left behind, and invest instead in the real priorities of our people, tackling the climate crisis, improving public services, and building a fairer economy.”
Kidd warned that as long as nuclear decisions are made in London, Scotland will be forced to bear the risks, adding “the contamination of Loch Long is a grim reminder that Westminster’s nuclear obsession comes at Scotland’s expense.”
For him, the issue is about more than the environment, it is about sovereignty, safety, and the right to decide Scotland’s future energy and defence policies.
“Independence would end Westminster’s nuclear waste washing up on Scotland’s shores,” he said.
“It means we choose safety, sustainability, and peace.
“Not more of Westminster’s nuclear waste.”
