Parliament Workbench
Data: Votes to 12 Nov 2026

Vote · 20 Mar 2013

Trident

Amendment Motion S4M-05988.1 Lodged by Jean Urquhart Ind
Defeated by 74
1 For 75 Against 33 Abstained 19 Did not vote

What this amendment would do

This vote was on an independent amendment (S4M-05988.1) to the SNP’s motion (S4M-05988). It was defeated, so it did not change the motion. The final vote on the motion was carried 61–16.

If agreed, the motion would read:

That the Parliament acknowledges the devastating humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons; endorses the Secretary-General of the United Nations's five-point plan for nuclear disarmament; calls on the UK Government to acknowledge the opposition of the Scottish Parliament to nuclear weapons and to the presence of Trident in Scotland, and further calls on the UK Government to explore options for the removal of Trident ahead of the so-called main gate decision in 2016.S4M-05988.1 Independent ; considers membership of NATO to be a barrier to the removal of Trident, whether as part of the UK or as an independent Scotland; believes that membership of an alliance predicated on a nuclear first strike policy is as harmful to Scotland’s international reputation, and poses the same threat from external agents, as the presence of a nuclear deterrent in Scottish waters; notes that European countries such as Ireland, Finland and Sweden are not members of NATO and are still considered to be full, cooperative members of the international community; further calls on the UK Government to disarm Trident and not to replace it with any other nuclear weapons system, and commits to ensuring that, in the event of independence, Trident will not be permitted to operate from Scottish waters.

Worked out by this site by applying the amendment to the motion as lodged. It is not an official text.

The amendment as lodged

leave out from “and further” to end and insert “; considers membership of NATO to be a barrier to the removal of Trident, whether as part of the UK or as an independent Scotland; believes that membership of an alliance predicated on a nuclear first strike policy is as harmful to Scotland’s international reputation, and poses the same threat from external agents, as the presence of a nuclear deterrent in Scottish waters; notes that European countries such as Ireland, Finland and Sweden are not members of NATO and are still considered to be full, cooperative members of the international community; further calls on the UK Government to disarm Trident and not to replace it with any other nuclear weapons system, and commits to ensuring that, in the event of independence, Trident will not be permitted to operate from Scottish waters.”

All amendments to S4M-05988

  1. S4M-05988.2 Conservative Ruth Davidson Defeated vote, 12–67
  2. S4M-05988.1 Independent Jean Urquhart Defeated vote, 1–75

How the parties split

2 MSPs voted against their party
PartySplitForAgainstAbst.AbsentMajority
SNP 0 59 2 4 ✗ Against split
Lab 0 0 31 6 – Abstained united
Con 0 12 0 3 ✗ Against united
LD 0 4 0 1 ✗ Against united
Green 0 0 0 2 did not vote
Ind 1 0 0 3 n/a

Party is the MSP's party on the day of the vote. Majority is how most of the party's voting MSPs voted.

Every MSP

128 MSPs

For (1)

Against (75)

Abstained (33)

Did not vote (19)