Dumfries and Galloway MP and Shadow Defence Minister Russell Brown has helped launch a cross-party campaign to persuade the UK Government to show respect for the history of Scotland’s regiments.

The UK Government’s defence cuts mean that the historic names of Scotland’s famous regiments, such as the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Royal Highland Fusiliers, are at risk of being lost forever.

Following the campaign launch outside Parliament in London, local MP and Shadow Defence Minister Russell Brown said:

“Scotland has a proud military history that deserves recognition, but the Tory UK Government is casting that aside as they rush ahead with their reckless cuts, including of 30,000 jobs from the Army. The potential loss of traditional cap badges and regimental names shows that the Tories don’t understand the deep ties Scotland has to our armed forces.

“This campaign calls on the Government to show respect to our regiments. Scotland has been part of the British Forces’ DNA and history. Many Scottish units have histories dating back to the 18th Century or before and have been deployed in conflicts in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.”