MEANWHILE, claims that a newly independent Scotland would be prevented from completing orders from the Royal Navy have been called into question by the Chief of Defence Staff who has said the Westminster government will “get our ships in the place it makes the most sense”. Speaking on the BBC Andrew Marr programme today, General Sir Nicholas Houghton said: “(The decision) was very much a matter of a business rationalisation. In terms of raw business sense it makes sense the place where they have the greatest capacity and the best depth of skills - which is on the Clyde - so it is driven by a business decision. "We live in a world now where it is not for the purposes of the defence budget to underwrite elements of industry. We will go and get our ships in the place where it makes the most sense for the British taxpayer in terms of getting the right capability for the armed forces.”

Shipbuilding row: Trade union officials backed ‘break-clause’ proposal says Labour MP