Thursday, 15 March 2007
PARLIAMENT VOTES TO REPLACE TRIDENT DESPITE STRONG OPPOSITION

In the House of Commons yesterday evening, the government won support for its plans to renew the UK’s nuclear weapon capability despite significant opposition, including from within its own party. MPs first voted on a motion to defer ‘an early decision on renewal’ and then on the principle of replacing the existing system, Trident, which is due to expire in 2020-25.

Although the motion to defer the decision was defeated by 413 votes to 167, it was supported by 95 Labour MPs which represented the largest rebellion since the vote on Iraq in 2003, and the largest on a domestic issue in a decade. The main vote on the government’s plans to replace the Trident missile system was carried by 409 votes to 161. It was opposed by 87 Labour MPs, as well as a majority of Scottish MPs, and required the support of the Conservatives for success.

Offering hope to those opposed to Trident’s replacement, Tony Blair insisted that the final decision would not be taken until 2012-14 and therefore, as no parliament could bind another, could be reconsidered by the then government. This came in the run-up to the vote in a bid to reassure his own party, which had already suffered the resignation of the deputy leader of the house and three parliamentary aides.

For more information on the issue and to read about UNA-UK’s work in this area, click here.

For details of the Rethink Trident campaign, click here.