Scottish CND today called for all Trident submarines to be immediately taken off patrol following the news that HMS Vanguard collided with its French equivalent, Le Triomphant, in the Atlantic on 3/4 February.  Both vessels are reported to have been damaged. 

John Ainslie, Coordinator of Scottish CND said:

“This highlights the danger of keeping nuclear submarines at sea when there is no threat to Britain.  Trident is a danger to us all and does nothing to improve our security. At the very least these vessels should immediately be confined to base. The Government’s plan to spend billions on new Trident submarines should be scrapped.”

Background to the incident: www.banthebomb.org/newbombs/Sub%20incidents.pdf

In an article in the Daily Mail on 16 January Edward Heathcoat-Amory questioned whether Britain should be spending £20 billion on nuclear weapons.  He argues that this money would be better spent on conventional forces.  His article supports the stance taken by Field Marshal Lord Bramall, General Lord Ramsbotham and General Sir Hugh Beach in their letter against Trident published in the Times.  The Daily Mail article does not go as far as advocating nuclear disarmament, but it does question whether Britain should be building another nuclear weapon system like Trident.

There is also an online poll asking: Should we spend £20 billion on Trident ?

This is at www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1119434/EDWARD-HEATHCOAT-AMORY-How-spend-20-billion-Trident-troops-badly-equipped.html

Three retired senior British military figures have condemned the Government's plan to replace Trident.  In a letter to the Times on 16 January Field Marshal Lord Bramall, General Lord Ramsbotham (pictured) and General Sir Hugh Beach say tht British nuclear weapons are completely useless as a deterrent against the threats that Britain is likely to face.  They add that the system is not independent, doesn't give the country political clout and spending on nuclear weapons is diverting funds from conventional military forces.  They conclude that "our independent deterrent has become virtually irrelevant".

The deadline for objections to the new nuclear weapons' assembly factory at AWE Burghfied in Berkshire has been extended to 30 January.

There is an online form to submit objections on the CND website at: www.cnduk.org/scripts/awe-dec/

Further information is available at the Nuclear Information Service (www.nuclearinfo.org)  and Aldermaston Womens Peace Camp (www.aldermaston.net)

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein has called on Barack Obama 
to take the lead and commit himself to working for the global 
elimination of nuclear weapons.

She said: "We must recognise nuclear weapons for what they are 
- not a deterrent, but a grave and gathering threat to humanity.  
As president, Barrack Obama should dedicate himself to their world-
wide elimination".

She pointed out that President Reagan, despite his past, had said 
"We seek the total elimination one day of nuclear weapons from the 
face of the earth".

Today Mrs Feinstein said: "Seeking new weapons and maintaining 
massive arsenals makes no sense. It is vital that we week a world 
free of nuclear weapons.  The United States should lead the way,
and a President Obama should challenge Russian President Dmitry 
Medvedev to join us."

Wall Street Journal 3 January 2009