SAVE BTP
Scrap the British Transport Police merger with Police Scotland now!
We at Scotland in Union believe that the proposed merger with the Scottish division of British Transport Police (BTP) into Police Scotland should be scrapped, not just delayed.
The Scottish Parliament has always had control over both transport and policing, but BTP and its complex structure originally remained under the auspices of the UK Transport Secretary. With its unique role in ensuring safety on trains crossing the border and its anti-terror responsibilities, it makes sense to keep it intact as a UK-wide force.
The post referendum Smith Commission proposed devolving accountability of its functions to the Scottish Parliament. In the summer of last year the SNP Government passed a bill to absorb BTP into the over-stretched and crisis hit Police Scotland.
The legislation failed to get cross-party support and only SNP and Green MSPs voted in favour of it.
The police watchdog scrutinising the policy have insisted that the government has failed to make a business case for the changes and staff have expressed serious concerns about the merger.
As a result, the Scottish Government has been accused of pushing through the reforms on purely ideological grounds.
This proposed merger is fueled by a political agenda to eradicate anything in Scotland with the name ‘British’ in it.
We urge all our supporters to
sign our petition
to scrap the merger.
Reasons to sign
UNIONS CLAIM
THAT DEALING WITH A FATALITY WOULD TAKE UP TO 6 TIMES LONGER
DELAYED
IN FEBRUARY 2018
DUE TO A SERIES OF SAFETY CONCERNS BUT NO PLANS
TO SCRAP THE MERGER
OVER 83%
OF BTP OFFICERS
AND STAFF DO NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED MERGER