Blair gives hint over regiments

Prime Minister Tony Blair said the Army were driving the reforms

Prime Minister Tony Blair has given the strongest hint yet that Scotland's regiments will be amalgamated.

In an interview with BBC Scotland, he made it clear that the creation of a single "super-regiment" is likely.

Mr Blair stressed that the reform is being driven by the Army, not politicians, and that historic local links and identities will not be lost.

The prime minister said there was a "fundamental misunderstanding" about what was being suggested.

"Nobody wants to get rid of the history or the traditions of the regiments," he told BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor.

I think what people identify as crucial about the regiments are the signs of identity - the history, the tradition, the local connection Prime Minister Tony Blair

"The issue for the Army and for those currently serving in the Army is how they get more flexible deployment of the troops they already have."

He said no-one was suggesting that Black Watch soldiers would return from their tour of duty in Iraq to find that they had been laid off.

"I think what people identify as crucial about the regiments are the signs of identity - the history, the tradition, the local connection.

"Wait and see what comes out of that, but I think all of that will be maintained."

Mr Blair said he was not trying to evade responsibility by stressing that the decision was not being driven by politicians.

"The Army themselves are saying to us that in today's world we need a deployment Army where people can move from one type of discipline to another within the armed forces within the time of their career - and we need therefore to make changes in the regimental structure to do that."

However, he cautioned that people should wait and judge the proposals when they actually emerge.

In October, the Council of Scottish Colonels proposed the merger of the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers into a single battalion.

Under their vision, it would be one of five in the new super-regiment.

The proposal sparked anger from opposition politicians and the Save the Scottish Regiments Campaign, which has threatened to stand against Labour at the next general election.

An alternative blueprint has been put forward by Labour MP Eric Joyce, who proposed going ahead with the merger while preserving the other regiments.