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Trident: Getting agreed Labour position 'may be impossible' Trident: Getting agreed Labour position 'may be impossible'
(35 minutes later)
Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham says it may be "impossible" for Labour to reach an agreed position on Trident.Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham says it may be "impossible" for Labour to reach an agreed position on Trident.
Mr Burnham, who backs renewal of the UK's nuclear weapons, said the review by shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry would be "very difficult".Mr Burnham, who backs renewal of the UK's nuclear weapons, said the review by shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry would be "very difficult".
Ms Thornberry and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn do not want to renew Trident.Ms Thornberry and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn do not want to renew Trident.
At a meeting of Labour MPs on Monday, Ms Thornberry faced a hostile reception, with some saying she compared Trident to Spitfire aircraft.At a meeting of Labour MPs on Monday, Ms Thornberry faced a hostile reception, with some saying she compared Trident to Spitfire aircraft.
A senior Labour source insisted she had been trying to suggest that some military technology had to be replaced, like Spitfires, and others could be updated - like Tornados.A senior Labour source insisted she had been trying to suggest that some military technology had to be replaced, like Spitfires, and others could be updated - like Tornados.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is braced for what looks set to be a tense shadow cabinet meeting when it discusses the future of the UK's nuclear weapons system later.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is braced for what looks set to be a tense shadow cabinet meeting when it discusses the future of the UK's nuclear weapons system later.
'Binary choice''Binary choice'
Ms Thornberry gave Mr Corbyn's senior team of shadow ministers an outline of her thinking last week, but debate on the party's approach was delayed.Ms Thornberry gave Mr Corbyn's senior team of shadow ministers an outline of her thinking last week, but debate on the party's approach was delayed.
She told the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting on Monday she wanted to carry out the ongoing review of Labour policy on Trident in an "atmosphere of mutual trust and respect".She told the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting on Monday she wanted to carry out the ongoing review of Labour policy on Trident in an "atmosphere of mutual trust and respect".
The Labour source told the Press Association that Ms Thornberry had also raised doubts about whether submarines were a safe way to carry the nuclear deterrent.The Labour source told the Press Association that Ms Thornberry had also raised doubts about whether submarines were a safe way to carry the nuclear deterrent.
"She was talking to some people about drones and it was apparent it was absolutely possible that large submarines could be tracked and attacked by drones," the source added."She was talking to some people about drones and it was apparent it was absolutely possible that large submarines could be tracked and attacked by drones," the source added.
Interventions were "evenly" split between speakers who wanted to renew Trident, those who did not think it was a "binary choice", and those who opposed renewal, according to the source.Interventions were "evenly" split between speakers who wanted to renew Trident, those who did not think it was a "binary choice", and those who opposed renewal, according to the source.
Ex-shadow defence minister Kevan Jones said she had taken questions "but didn't answer any", adding: "waffly and incoherent."Ex-shadow defence minister Kevan Jones said she had taken questions "but didn't answer any", adding: "waffly and incoherent."
What is Trident for?
Since 1969, according to government documents, a British submarine carrying nuclear weapons has always been on patrol, gliding silently beneath the waves, somewhere in the world's oceans.
The logic is to deter a nuclear attack on the UK because, even if the nation's conventional defence capabilities were destroyed, the silent submarine would still be able to launch a catastrophic retaliatory strike on the aggressor, a concept known as mutually assured destruction.
The submarines carry up to 8 Trident missiles; each can be fitted with a number of warheads.
Read more about the history of the UK's nuclear weapons system
Union leaders have warned that scrapping Trident could devastate communities reliant on the defence industry and Mr Corbyn said he recognised the need to retain "amazing skills and technology".
Mr Corbyn is at odds with many of his MPs over the future of the UK nuclear weapons system - which the government has estimated will cost £31bn to renew - and has commissioned a review led by shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry to look at its future, likely to report in the summer.Mr Corbyn is at odds with many of his MPs over the future of the UK nuclear weapons system - which the government has estimated will cost £31bn to renew - and has commissioned a review led by shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry to look at its future, likely to report in the summer.
The Labour leader has been a longstanding opponent of Trident but some MPs and peers have threatened to resign if Labour reverses its decades-long support for the nuclear deterrent.The Labour leader has been a longstanding opponent of Trident but some MPs and peers have threatened to resign if Labour reverses its decades-long support for the nuclear deterrent.
Parliament is to hold a vote later this year on whether to proceed with building successor submarines to the existing Vanguard fleet, which is due to become obsolete by the end of the next decade.Parliament is to hold a vote later this year on whether to proceed with building successor submarines to the existing Vanguard fleet, which is due to become obsolete by the end of the next decade.
Mr Burnham told BBC Radio 4's Today on Tuesday: "We always knew this was going to be a difficult debate for the party - there are two positions here that are difficult to reconcile, maybe impossible to reconcile, and the party's got to find some way of accommodating those positions and move forward and not let this issue take over everything."