Trident renewal row: SNP rule out supply and confidence deal with Labour

Deputy leader of the SNP Stewart Hosie today confirmed that the party would refuse to enter into a supply and confidence deal with Labour, due to the latter’s support for renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system.

“If there was a confidence and supply arrangement that didn’t involve scrapping Trident, then we couldn’t sign up to that.”

At the Scottish leaders’ debates this week, Sturgeon said that “Trident is a red line” when it comes to confidence and supply arrangements with Labour. You can see Hosie’s remarks in full here:

Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker last night restated Labour’s commitment to Trident renewal, following accusations from Tory Michael Fallon that Miliband would use it as a “bargaining chip” to get SNP support.

Coaker rebuked the idea that Trident would be up for discussion, saying:

“Labour is committed to maintaining a minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent, delivered through a Continuous-At-Sea Deterrent. This is not up for negotiation with any party.”

With the SNP and Labour already having ruled out a formal coalition, this could leave only an informal vote-by-vote post-election deal possible between the two parties.

However, there could yet be potential solutions around the issue: whatever the election result, there will almost certainly be a majority of MPs who would vote for renewal. Could Labour and the SNP strike up some sort of deal that allowed the SNP to abstain on defence budget votes?