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U.K. Lawmakers May Not Get Say on Nuclear Deterrent
The British Parliament has yet to learn if it will have the chance to vote on the government’s plans to replace its Trident missiles with a next-generation nuclear deterrent, the London Independent reported Friday (see GSN, June 22). Ninety-three Labor Party lawmakers demanded a full vote on the matter. The office of Prime Minister Tony Blair, however, said only that a “proper debate” would be conducted. Finance Minister Gordon Brown, the man pegged to replace Blair, supports giving the final say on the matter to the government Cabinet, led by Blair and Commons Leader Jack Straw. Supporters of updating the nuclear deterrent fear the project could be undone if put to a vote, the Independent reported. “As Gordon Brown has said it is absolutely right that we make the right long-term decisions for our national security, including retaining our independent nuclear deterrent,” said Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain. “It is important that the detail of how we implement this manifesto commitment should be the subject of full debate in the party and in Parliament” Straw told Commons lawmakers there would be a White Paper on the nuclear weapons system prior to a parliament debate “in a form which shows proper respect for this House.” He did not pledge a vote on the issue (Andrew Grice, The Independent, June 23). However, Defense Secretary Des Browne left the door open for a Commons vote in the House of Commons, the Liverpool Daily Post reported today. “We need to marshal the facts, we need to marshal the issue, we need to marshal the arguments and the options,” Browne said. “It is the responsibility of government ministers to make decisions, then those decisions, of course, can be subject to a parliamentary debate” (Daily Post, June 26). He said, though, that it was “too early to decide” if a vote would actually occur, the London Daily Mail reported Friday (Tim Shipman, Daily Mail, June 23). Critics said Gordon Brown’s support for replacing the Trident missile could decrease his chances to become the next prime minister, the Independent reported. “It means a lot of people who were happy to see Brown take over as leader will now think there’s got to be a contest and we’re not willing to support him,” said former Cabinet minister Clare Short. “I won’t support him. I mean this is outrageous, unless he changes his mind” (Grice, Independent).
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