Scottish Liberal Democrat hopes of moving the Black Watch to Leuchars after the planned closure of Fort George have been branded “crass and insensitive”.
In the days after the closure was announced, Willie Rennie said he hoped the regiment could be moved to the former RAF base in his North East Fife constituency.
Mr Rennie had backed the Press and Journal’s campaign to save the historic fort, but has now suggested the Black Watch would be “welcomed with open arms” at Leuchars.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has already argued the north-east Fife base would be a “very good candidate” to take the troops after Fort George closes in 2032 – a move that could lead to the loss of a hundred jobs and millions of pounds from the Highland economy.
Speaking yesterday, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry told Mr Rennie to apologise for “throwing in the towel” in the campaign to save the base.
Mr Rennie criticised the “boomerang attack” – and suggested the 250-year-old fort would still be open if there was a Liberal Democrat MP representing the area.
But Mr Hendry, who also supported the Press and Journal’s campaign to save Fort George, said: “This is crass and insensitive in the extreme and Willie Rennie should apologise immediately.
“Even the remaining Liberal Democrat supporters in the Highlands will be shocked by this opportunistic move, coming as it does, within days of the UK Government’s announcement.
“The betrayal of the promise of a permanent home for the Black Watch in the Highlands is hard enough to take but it looks like the Liberal Democrats still want to make it easier for the Tories, just like old times.”
The Scottish Government has already signalled that it intends to fight the closure of Fort George, as well as seven other Scottish bases earmarked to be mothballed.
Mr Hendry added: ”It seems like the Liberal Democrats have thrown in the towel and signalled their support for these brutal Tory cuts.”
But Mr Rennie said: “This is a boomerang attack from Mr Hendry.
“During the campaign to save the barracks I went up there and I campaigned for it to remain open. If (Liberal Democrat) Danny Alexander was still an MP he would never have allowed it to close.
“On Wednesday, the Secretary for the Economy (Keith Brown) agreed to sit with me to discuss the future of the regiment if the Tory cuts went through so in effect Mr Hendry is now criticising his own SNP government.
“Maybe Mr Hendry should spend more time checking with his own before making criticisms.”