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Trident nuclear weapons not necessary -UK public ahead of politicians

Trident: nuclear platitudes? No thanks, Guardian UK Editorial 16 July 13 “……. Credible nuclear and non-nuclear alternatives to continuous at-sea Trident nuclear submarines do exist. Most countries in the world do not have this form of defence. Many of them nevertheless remain leading global powers. So it is right to debate those alternatives here too. Even Mr Blair, in his 2010 memoir, concedes the point. And many of the options were set out in today’s 64-page government review of alternatives.

The most important of these, though not the only one, is that the UK genuinely has the option of scaling down its nuclear weapons capability from the present four submarines based on the Clyde to three or even two. This is a possibility that deserves a serious public debate, free from the old scaremongering……….

it is absurd that the Conservatives, plus some Labour ex-defence secretaries, should treat the possibility of Britain taking a small step down the nuclear ladder as taking a risk with national security. The public’s views on nuclear weapons are far more nuanced than this. They are ahead of the political class. The Tories and Labour should join the Lib Dems in treating the issues seriously, not wallowing in the lazy nonsense that the status quo is the only option.  it is absurd that the Conservatives, plus some Labour ex-defence secretaries, should treat the possibility of Britain taking a small step down the nuclear ladder as taking a risk with national security. The public’s views on nuclear weapons are far more nuanced than this. They are ahead of the political class. The Tories and Labour should join the Lib Dems in treating the issues seriously, not wallowing in the lazy nonsense that the status quo is the only option.

July 18, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general