Maria Eagle, the shadow defence secretary, has asserted her authority over Scottish Labour, saying the wider Labour party’s defence policy is determined at a UK level and it remains committed to the renewal of the Trident nuclear programme.

On Sunday Scottish Labour voted to reject the renewal of Trident, at the urging of Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader. Eagle told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “This does not change UK Labour party policy. Defence is not a devolved matter so Labour party policy on this must be set at a national level.”

Her remarks reflect anger in parts of the shadow cabinet that Corbyn decided to encourage Scottish Labour to reject Trident even though it had been agreed there would be a review of Labour’s defence policy, including on the nuclear deterrent. Corbyn welcomed the decision as a sign that democracy was opening up inside the Labour party.

Eagle also criticised the Labour leader’s decision to say in a recent BBC interview that he would never press the nuclear button if he were prime minister. She said|: “I don’t think Jeremy was well advised to answer that question in the way which he did.”

She also reminded the public that Corbyn had appointed her as shadow defence secretary knowing that she disagreed with him on unilateral nuclear disarmament. She said the review she was undertaking was serious and based on extensive consultation, including among Labour voters and the wider public.

Eagle stressed that the party had agreed not to change its defence policy at conference in Brighton in September. “Our policy is quite clear,” she said. “It is as it was at the general election. It is in favour of procuring the successive submarines.”

She said Scottish Labour was one of many important voices across the Labour movement, but its vote was only a contribution to the debate. She added no timetable had been set for the review but it would not be short.

Labour is now deeply split over the issue, with the deputy leader, Tom Watson, supporting Trident’s renewal, along with the leader of Scottish Labour, Kezia Dugdale. By contrast Corbyn, Scottish affiliated unions and constituency parties oppose renewal. The divisions may become relevant when David Cameron asks MPs, probably next year, to endorse his decision to press ahead with spending on the submarines.

Diane Abbott, the shadow international development secretary, predicted that if there was a vote by the Labour party on the issue, there would be support for rejection of Trident.



The GMB trade union attacked Scottish Labour’s position, saying it was “based on Alice in Wonderland politics, promising pie-in-the-sky alternative jobs”.

Gary Smith, acting Scotland secretary for the union, pledged it would stand up for defence workers such as those at Faslane on the Clyde, where the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet is based.

In a sign of the tensions between political and industrial interests over Trident in the trade union movement, the Babcock Marine Clyde industrial shop stewards committee at Faslane issued a statement saying it was mystified why Scottish Labour, backed by Unite Scotland, had taken its decision on a non-devolved matter only weeks after the national party had rejected a vote on the issue.



It said Unite policy states that there is a need to preserve the jobs and skills of members and until it receives firm commitments it will continue to support members and their employment.

The statement added: “We do not believe that such a commitment was delivered before the debate at Scottish Labour party conference. There is no credible diversification plan in place that will replicate the quantity and quality of jobs that currently exist.

“We are dismayed and angered by Unite Scotland’s position. It is not supportive of our membership and members have expressed the feeling this morning that their union is treating them like mugs by taking their union subscriptions and failing to support their future livelihoods.”