UK elections fuels debate over nuclear Trident missile program
Mohamed Walji
Press TV, London
The UK has about 215 nuclear warheads that make up its trident nuclear weapons programe. And now comments made by the Conservatives have put the nuclear issue at the forefront of election campaigning. The Tory manifesto pledges to build four new nuclear missile armed submarines according to Defence secretary Michael Fallon.
Both David Cameron and Ed Miliband are committed to renewing the trident system. But critics argue that the money spent on renewing a cold war relic doesn't make sense when investments need to be made in other areas that it so desperately needs.
In 2013 the government put the bill of replacing the system between £15 and £20 billion, but the Green Party say the bill could run up to £100 billion.
Experts argue that investing in trident doesn’t make the country more safe.
Trident has now become a political weapon. David Cameron and the Conservatives say Labour are putting the UK’s nuclear arsenal at risk, using it as a bargaining chip with the Scottish National Party or the SNP who would vote to scrap it. Miliband and the Labour party categorically deny this.
A final decision on replacing the trident system is expected in 2016.
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