GEORGE Osborne’s’ decision to spend half a billion pounds upgrading Faslane in preparation for the renewal of Trident nuclear submarines has been branded the “wrong moral choice”.

The Chancellor visited the naval base on the Clyde and said it was necessary for the UK’s defence in an uncertain world.

Scottish politicians also accused him of “stirring it up” and of being “provocative and premature”.

Mr Osborne announced £500m to improve the base’s infrastructure to facilitate the UK submarine fleet.

He said: “Today's announcement of more than £500 million demonstrates the UK Government's commitment to investing in the infrastructure and capability to ensure that Faslane remains the centre of UK submarine operations for the next generation.”

However he was immediately attacked by Scottish Government Finance Secretary, John Swinney.

He said: “George Osborne is making this announcement today partly to stir it up within the Labour Party, to exacerbate some of the issues around the stance taken by Jeremy Corbyn.

"We've also had Scotland's sole Labour MP Ian Murray making clear that he would not vote for the renewal of Trident."

He said the chancellor was "making the wrong moral choice to essentially prioritise investment in nuclear weapons over the protection of some of the most vulnerable citizens of our country."

Scottish LibDem leader, Willie Rennie, said: "I think George Osborne is being rather provocative today by coming up in a very premature way.

"He's come up here in a big flash to try and provoke the anti-Trident sentiment amongst quite a large population in Scotland.

"We've not even had the debate on Trident. I would rather have seen that debate coming in a very reasonable and sensible way."

Meanwhile Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said she would abide by the will of the Scottish party members on Trident renewal even if it was at odds with the UK leadership.

The party will debate Trident at its conference in the autumn and Ms Dugdale said the outcome would decide the party’s stance.

She said: "That would be the result of a democratic process. That would be the position of the Scottish Labour Party."