Residents Lobby MP over Trident

2.11.45pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 19th Mar 2007

Delegations of residents from the United Nations Association and peace groups lobbied local MPs in Westminster in the run up to the big debate on Trident last week. Both the borough MPs, Vincent Cable and Susan Kramer voted against the government (and the conservatives) who wanted an immediate commitment to replace the Trident nuclear deterrent when it reaches the end of its expected life in 2024.

Vincent Cable said: "180 MPs - Liberal Democrats, Labour rebels and a few Conservatives voted against the Labour-conservative motion. We have supported Britain having a nuclear deterrent in the past. But it is wholly unnecessary to rush into a decision now for a massively expensive replacement in a very different world from when a hostile Soviet Union was armed with large numbers of missiles on nuclear submarines.

The pressure for an early decision came from the manufacturers and from Mr Blair. Almost 100 Labour MPs rebelled and a few Conservatives like Michael Ancram; many others would have done if it hadn't been for the Labour and Conservative whips".