Cameron challenged over regiments

Press Association Ltd
3 January 2006

New Tory leader David Cameron has been challenged by Nationalists over the future of Scotland's six infantry regiments.

Despite opposing the Government's plans, Mr Cameron has said his party may not be able to undo the creation of a single five-battalion "super-regiment" for Scotland by the time it wins power from Labour at Westminster.

By March, the King's Own Scottish Borderers and the Royal Scots are due to be merged to form one battalion of the new Royal Regiment of Scotland, along with battalions of the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Highlanders.

David Davis, Mr Cameron's defeated rival for the Conservative crown, had pledged during the Tory leadership contest to restore the six regiments if he was elected and then became Prime Minister.

However, Mr Cameron has twice warned - once during a hustings with Mr Davis in Perth and then in Edinburgh following his election as leader - that it could be impossible to do this by the time of the next election, possibly in 2009 or 2010, if regimental headquarters and land have been sold.

SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson has questioned Mr Cameron's backing for the campaign to save the regiments and said he had written to the Tory leader asking him to clarify his position.

The Moray MP added: "When David Cameron made his remarks about the Scottish regiments, there were many Conservatives in Scotland who rightly questioned his judgement.

"I hope that Mr Cameron has had time to think again and that he will now firmly back the campaign to save our regimental tradition. With recruitment levels plummeting, we need to do everything we can to protect the link between the infantry and their traditional recruiting areas.

"Scrapping the regiments destroys a relationship that has seen sons follow their fathers into the local regiment from communities across Scotland. David Cameron has now had a few weeks to get on top of his brief and get a better view and understanding of the issues. He must clarify his previous remarks and let us know once and for all whether he backs Scotland's regiments."

But Tory shadow Scots secretary David Mundell accused the SNP of being "disingenuous", saying the Tories campaigned to save the regiments during the 2005 election and would do so today had they been voted into office, while the SNP could never do so. He said: "David Cameron has been honest about the future of our Scottish regiments."