From http://www.thetimes.co.uk


BRITAIN is to have a new generation of nuclear submarines and missiles after a promise by Gordon Brown yesterday to replace the Trident deterrent if and when he becomes Prime Minister.
The Chancellor, widely expected to take over from Tony Blair next year, faced a furious response from the Left after pledging to retain the nuclear capability in this Parliament and “in the long-term”. But the Chancellor was told that he was upsetting his natural allies in the party and the unions after using a City speech to make his most important non-economic policy pledge so far.



In remarks that will please the the Armed Forces and the US Government, Mr Brown was trying to show that, as Labour leader, he would not lurch to the Left or be soft on defence.

A decision will be needed during this Parliament if Trident is to be maintained beyond its lifespan. Ministers are expected to take that decision early next year and Mr Brown was giving his first public confirmation that he would sign up to a full replacement for Trident if that was the advice of Britain’s military commanders.

That could cost between £12 billion and £15 billion, on recent estimates. The Government is looking at a number of options and assessing the expense. The most likely replacement is another submarine-launched weapon. Both the existing Vanguard Class submarines and the 7,500-mile-range Trident D5 missiles they carry could have their service life extended, under one option being examined.

Paul Murphy, the chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, welcomed Mr Brown’s commitment. “Protecting national security is the first duty of any government, and this responsibility will be safe in Gordon Brown’s hands.”

But there was anger on the Left as news of Mr Brown’s speech began to emerge. Gordon Prentice, Labour MP for Pendle, told The Times that Mr Brown’s statement, made in his annual Mansion House address, defied belief. “How can we ask other countries like Iran not to become nuclear weapon states when we are not only not getting rid of our weapons but replacing and enhancing them?” he said.

“This seems to be part of Gordon cementing the Blair legacy. He is saying all sorts of things to show there is no difference between the Blair and Brown agendas.

“But he is jeopardising the support he might have been expected to take for granted — not just in the unions but among MPs and the constituency parties. This is very disappointing indeed. Many MPs will be looking for a candidate who gives the clearest commitment to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”

The Conservatives said that Mr Brown was doing no more than repeating Labour’s manifesto pledge to keep the deterrent during this Parliament. But Treasury sources replied that the speech committed Mr Brown to keeping it beyond the present Parliament. That meant signing up to a decision to replace or update it.

Mr Brown’s declaration is his clearest warning yet to the Left that he will not reverse Blairite policy positions. In the same speech he said that public sector reform would be “stepped up, broadened, deepened and intensified”.

On national security he would make “the right long-term decisions”. He promised to show the “same strength of purpose we will demonstrate in protecting our security in this Parliament and the long term — strong in defence in fighting terrorism, upholding Nato, supporting our Armed Forces at home and abroad, and retaining our independent nuclear deterrent”.



Personally I can't believe Britain wants to buy more bombs? I thought we were trying to cut down? This is definately sending two images to Iran. Telling them not to build the bomb, when we are spending £15 billion on more nukes. I am outraged, and this is the last straw in a collection of incredibly bad decisions made my governments in the developed world, I think in the next election I'm just not going to vote, or if I do, Greenpeace will be getting my vote.

http://nuclearpwned.ytmnd.com/

Why does Britain need that?

Lets nuke France

I don't see the problem.

I mean it's expensive... and sure the money could be spent on things a lot more worthwhile..
but it's only talking about renewing it... it's not something particularly new.

Britain has been an established beacon of military excellence for centuries - and the core of Britishness is so contrary to the actual use of such weapons that the chance of them ever being used has to be practically non-existant. They are just that.... 'deterrents'.

Ideally no one would have these (pretty ironically named) nuclear 'deterrents' - but the world ain't an ideal place - and so long as those who would strike us are armed and willing, a little disuasion could make a difference (particularly if the new enemies Britain has gained (as a result of assisting the US in recent ill-conceived battles) believe we are as reckless as our ally has been in the past).

Iran can not be allowed to develop nuclear power (in the sense of weaponry) for many reasons.... a large one being the words of it's leader who said he wanted to see Israel 'wiped off the map'.

It's the subtle things like that!

TBH the Nuclear argument is a very old argument, and one which I wouldn't presume to be able to answer.

Seconded.

As for the talk on this nuclear deterrent, I suppose it's better to defend ourselves rather than letting London become the next Hiroshima (God forbid!)

Same reason other countrys want them...

"My bombs are better than your bombs."

Lol, it keeps getting funnier everytime I read it. But yeah good point, I'm not saying Iran should have the nuke, but I think the world would be a better place with less nukes. Also why do they want to renew their bombs? Are these new ones even more effective at killing?

Didn't you guys see on the news that North Korea looks like it's about to test a long range nuclear missile?
Apparently from what people have seen, and I'm assuming it's not a great deal, the missile is probably capable of hitting Hawaii.

Although what they say on the news can't always be trusted.

Scary none the less. It's nice to live in a country thats so far away from everything.

Yeah,seriously. Britain has no need for Nuclear wepons. The US has enough nuclear weapons, and we're in alliance.

wtf boom nice
can never own too many nukes
always better to be able to nuke someone more then they can nuke you

Ooh, that's right...Britain needs that power to aid Alucard and Seras Victoria fight off the hoards of vampires anf ghouls...duh!

Maybe the British Empire wants to start expanding again because latley its been falling apart and now even Australia is talking about leaving it.

I think the Empire should commision one of its greatest generals, Jeremy to pwn up the US in a nuclear war, and they could get Doug to train the SAS.
They should also let me be king because I would be a awesome one.

-_-

It's not an Empire Britain have anymore, it's a commonwealth- that's why the Australian flag has the Union jack on it, because it's part of the commonwealth not an Empire. The British Empire was owned at the beginning of the 19th century 'cos France were being nubs and aiding America in the Revoultionary War and after some cock-ups we basically went back to the small peice of island surrounded by a few green dots that noone gives a shite about that we always were.

This does not quite matter, the world will end up like in Fallout anyways

Pax Britannica still exists, any country that still has the queen as head of state is part of the British Empire A Commenwealth country does not need to have the queen as head of state.

And plus Empire sounds better, Commonwealth is not a scary word, what will the Americans be like "Oh no teh Commonwealth has attacked us! .... wtf is a commonwealth", it would sound better if it was like "Oh Crap the Empire has attacked us! DARTH VADER WILL PWN US ALL!", why you ask would my empire attack teh US, well 1 simple reason, they keep F**cking around with Subs and Dubs in anime, I mean WTF, in Japan they use the metric system and they have a PRIME MINISTER not friggan President. Oh but no they have to Americanize anime by getting rid of the OST replacing it with shitty rap, Censor everything then changing words from International English to Retard English.

True.