Scotland might be up for buying new ships, but if the UK has 13 such frigates inmind, an independent Scottish navy is unlikely tobe able to afford more than two, perhaps three at a stretch.
"Ralph Topping and Neil Doncaster will be coming up to see me in Dundee in the next two weeks, but they will not change my mind and they know that, " said Thompson.
You may want to test the waters with a potential trade client, but if you go this route, be sure to make it one or two service-to-service swaps with specific timelines and services inmind.