‘You want your land back?’ The Geo-Politics of Military Bases, Empire and Independence
The Ministry of Defence's latest threat to keep Faslane as sovereign territory in the event of Scottish Independence should be seen in the context of Britain's imperial history of maintaining military bases against the wishes of local people across the world.
It looks like a normal Scottish Loch. A picturesque valley with a sparkling expanse of water. Except that lurking in the corner is a harbour with watchtowers, police patrol boats and mysterious sheds. This is Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, better known as Faslane. It is home to Britain’s strategic nuclear submarine fleet, and a key issue in the Scottish independence referendum campaign.