Scottish regiments are waiting to hear their fate

The government announced one battalion will go with the other five merged into one or two "super-regiments" as part of its UK defence spending review.

The Council of Scottish Colonels met in Edinburgh on Monday to discuss the results of a consultation undertaken following the announcement in July.

The council said more work needed to be done before it made its recommendation.

'Positive spirit'

Council spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Niall McGregor-Smith, Scottish Division Lieutenant Colonel, said: "The Council of Scottish Colonels met to discuss the implications of the announcement of the cuts to the Scottish Infantry.

"A range of views was expressed, which the council considered carefully.

"Although there is more work to be done before the council is ready to make its recommendation, the discussion was taken forward in a positive and co-operative spirit."

All of Scotland's six infantry regiments are single-battalion regiments with planned cutbacks raising concerns over the future of the Black Watch and the Highlanders in particular.

Pressure group

The re-organisation was announced by Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon amid a raft of other proposals to streamline all military operations across Scotland.

Since the plans were made public the army's highest ranking officer, General Sir Mike Jackson, has publicly admitted Scotland cannot sustain recruitment for its six battalions.

A pressure group, Save the Scottish Regiments Campaign, has been set up to oppose the changes.

It says it will put up 13 candidates in the general election in an attempt to give Labour "a bloody nose".