Battle stations Scotland

Labour defence chief on the vital role we will play as the UK rearms

- JOHN FERGUSON

SCOTLAND has a critical role preparing the UK for all out war with Russia, according to the Labour minister charged with urgently modernising the armed forces.

While Putin's infantry has suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, its navy remains intact and a constant threat to Britain as international tensions to rise.

Last week the Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov was tracked in UK waters for 48 hours, resulting in Nato Allied Maritime Command activating HMS Duncan, a Wildcat helicopter, the Dutch Air Force and French Navy to carry out a shadowing op.

Dozens of Russian drones also infiltrated Polish airspace in recent weeks, fuelling fears of a spreading European conflict.

Luke Pollard - who was appointed to the new role of Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry this year - has told the Sunday Mail the UK now needs to rapidly rearm to prepare for direct conflict with a "peer competitor".

And he has made a direct appeal to the Scottish Government to work with him to rapidly develop shipbuilding skills - which could unlock billions of pounds of investment and thousands of highly paid skilled jobs.

He said: "The new challenge is to get us ready for war fighting. We are no longer in the era of expeditionary warfare like Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Now we are looking at how we deter a peer adversary like Russia and how we defeat it if necessary.