## Scotland’s Defence Posture: A Call for Strategic Realignment in a Changing Europe
A prominent voice on Scottish defence matters, Stewart McDonald, formerly the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) spokesperson for defence and a former MP for Glasgow South, has issued a compelling argument: Scotland’s current approach to defence and security is increasingly out of step with the stark realities of the continent’s security landscape. Writing in a recent article for **Enlighten.scot**, McDonald advocates for a deeper, more earnest integration of defence policy considerations into Scotland’s devolved political discourse.
### The “Awkward Silence” Surrounding Defence
McDonald, now Director of Regent Park Strategies, contends that defence has historically been viewed as an inconvenient topic within the SNP, frequently sidestepped unless external pressures mandate its discussion. “Too often, defence has been the SNP’s most awkward policy subject: discussed when unavoidable and rarely on the party’s own terms,” he observed. He notes that the subject tends to surface only in moments of acute crisis, swiftly relegated back to the “reserved” domain – meaning Westminster’s responsibility – once the immediate urgency subsides.
### Shifting Sands: The New European Reality
This reluctance, McDonald argues, has led to defence and security being framed primarily through the lens of social advocacy rather than pragmatic national strategy. He believes this approach no longer reflects Europe’s rapidly evolving security situation. Positions such as unilateral nuclear disarmament, he suggests, were conceived in a bygone era, allowing the SNP to “get away with in a world that no longer exists.” The global geopolitical landscape, particularly in Europe, demands a more robust and realistic engagement with defence.
### Beyond Westminster’s Purview: Scotland’s Inherent Stake
McDonald challenges the notion that defence is peripheral to Scottish concerns purely because it falls under Westminster’s remit. He underscores that security challenges, by their very nature, disregard constitutional demarcations. “This is not because defence and security are irrelevant to Scotland. Quite the opposite,” he asserts, adding, “But today’s world is no respecter of comfort zones.” Scotland, like any nation, possesses an inherent stake in its own security and resilience.
### Empowering Devolved Competencies: A Path to Resilience
Crucially, McDonald advocates for the Scottish Parliament to cultivate a more robust grasp of national resilience. This includes a strategic focus on areas that undeniably reside within the Scottish Parliament’s authority: civil emergency planning, critical infrastructure safeguarding, energy independence, digital security, and comprehensive societal readiness. These components form a vital shield against contemporary threats and contribute directly to national wellbeing.
### The Urgency of Now
McDonald’s piece forms part of a broader discourse surrounding Scotland’s engagement with defence, European stability, and alliance dynamics in an era of elevated continental tensions. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the escalating imperative for enduring deterrence and societal robustness, the need for a re-evaluation of Scotland’s defence posture has become more pressing than ever.
The full article, provocatively titled “It’s time for Scotland and the SNP to get serious about defence,” is available for comprehensive reading on **Enlighten.scot**.