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| Theresa May would authorise nuclear strike causing mass loss of life | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has said she would be willing to authorise a nuclear strike killing 100,000 people, ahead of a House of Commons vote on replacing Britain’s Trident submarines. | Theresa May has said she would be willing to authorise a nuclear strike killing 100,000 people, ahead of a House of Commons vote on replacing Britain’s Trident submarines. |
| The prime minister answered with a decisive “yes” when challenged by the SNP’s George Kerevan about whether she would personally approve a nuclear hit causing mass loss of life. | The prime minister answered with a decisive “yes” when challenged by the SNP’s George Kerevan about whether she would personally approve a nuclear hit causing mass loss of life. |
| Kerevan asked May: “Is she personally prepared to authorise a nuclear strike that can kill a hundred thousand innocent men, women and children?” | Kerevan asked May: “Is she personally prepared to authorise a nuclear strike that can kill a hundred thousand innocent men, women and children?” |
| May responded: “I have to say to the honourable gentleman the whole point of a deterrent is that our enemies need to know that we would be prepared to use it, unlike some suggestions that we could have a deterrent but not actually be willing to use it, which seem to come from the Labour party frontbench.” | May responded: “I have to say to the honourable gentleman the whole point of a deterrent is that our enemies need to know that we would be prepared to use it, unlike some suggestions that we could have a deterrent but not actually be willing to use it, which seem to come from the Labour party frontbench.” |
| May’s statement was met by gasps from some MPs on the opposition benches, as the chamber debated whether to agree the replacement of Trident. | May’s statement was met by gasps from some MPs on the opposition benches, as the chamber debated whether to agree the replacement of Trident. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, responded to May by making the case for nuclear disarmament, pointing out that Labour’s historic pro-Trident position was under review. He has given his MPs a free vote while the policy is still being decided. | Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, responded to May by making the case for nuclear disarmament, pointing out that Labour’s historic pro-Trident position was under review. He has given his MPs a free vote while the policy is still being decided. |
| Speaking in the House of Commons, he said there were 40 warheads, which are each eight times as powerful at the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people at Hiroshima in Japan in 1945. | Speaking in the House of Commons, he said there were 40 warheads, which are each eight times as powerful at the atomic bomb that killed 140,000 people at Hiroshima in Japan in 1945. |
| “What is the threat we are facing that million people’s deaths would actually deter?” he said, adding it did not stop Islamic State, Saddam Hussain’s atrocities, war crimes in the Balkans or genocide in Rwanda. | “What is the threat we are facing that million people’s deaths would actually deter?” he said, adding it did not stop Islamic State, Saddam Hussain’s atrocities, war crimes in the Balkans or genocide in Rwanda. |
| “I make it clear today I would not take a decision that kills millions of innocent people,” Corbyn told MPs. “I do not believe the threat of mass murder is a legitimate way to deal with international relations.” | “I make it clear today I would not take a decision that kills millions of innocent people,” Corbyn told MPs. “I do not believe the threat of mass murder is a legitimate way to deal with international relations.” |
| However, the prime minister said it would be a “dereliction of duty” to give up Britain’s nuclear deterrent and pledged to keep to the Nato target of spending 2% of national income on defence while she is prime minister. | However, the prime minister said it would be a “dereliction of duty” to give up Britain’s nuclear deterrent and pledged to keep to the Nato target of spending 2% of national income on defence while she is prime minister. |
| Addressing the idea of downgrading the deterrent to a cheaper option, she said: “I am not prepared to settle for something that does not do the job.” | Addressing the idea of downgrading the deterrent to a cheaper option, she said: “I am not prepared to settle for something that does not do the job.” |
| May also took a swipe at anti-Trident MPs on the Labour frontbench and Green MP Caroline Lucas, claiming they were therefore among “the first to defend the country’s enemies”. | May also took a swipe at anti-Trident MPs on the Labour frontbench and Green MP Caroline Lucas, claiming they were therefore among “the first to defend the country’s enemies”. |
| The cost of Trident renewal has been estimated at more than £40bn. “No credible deterrent is cheap,” she added. | The cost of Trident renewal has been estimated at more than £40bn. “No credible deterrent is cheap,” she added. |
| While the vast majority of Conservatives are in favour of renewing Trident, the Labour party is split three ways between those voting in favour, against and abstentions, while the SNP is firmly against. | While the vast majority of Conservatives are in favour of renewing Trident, the Labour party is split three ways between those voting in favour, against and abstentions, while the SNP is firmly against. |
| Corbyn said the UK should follow the other countries like South Africa, Libya, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil and Kazakhstan, which have shown they are serious about disarmament by giving up their nuclear programmes. | Corbyn said the UK should follow the other countries like South Africa, Libya, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil and Kazakhstan, which have shown they are serious about disarmament by giving up their nuclear programmes. |
| “It is now time to step up to the plate and move rapidly towards disarmament,” the Labour leader said. | “It is now time to step up to the plate and move rapidly towards disarmament,” the Labour leader said. |
| He was challenged by several Labour MPs as well as Conservatives. Kevan Jones, a former shadow defence minister, highlighted the fact that Corbyn had not kept to the pro-Trident policy agreed by the party’s conference and included in the 2015 manifesto. | He was challenged by several Labour MPs as well as Conservatives. Kevan Jones, a former shadow defence minister, highlighted the fact that Corbyn had not kept to the pro-Trident policy agreed by the party’s conference and included in the 2015 manifesto. |
| Corbyn’s anti-Trident position chimes with the views of Labour members who have been surveyed on the issue but has caused tensions within the parliamentary party and with the trade unions. | Corbyn’s anti-Trident position chimes with the views of Labour members who have been surveyed on the issue but has caused tensions within the parliamentary party and with the trade unions. |
| Tim Roache, head of the GMB trade union, called on Corbyn to abide by Labour party policy endorsing Trident renewal, as he warned that 45,000 jobs around the country were dependent on the renewal programme going ahead. | Tim Roache, head of the GMB trade union, called on Corbyn to abide by Labour party policy endorsing Trident renewal, as he warned that 45,000 jobs around the country were dependent on the renewal programme going ahead. |
| Roache, who supported Corbyn as leader, told BBC Radio 4’s the World at One: “The Labour party have a clear policy. The clear policy is that Labour will uphold an at-sea deterrent. | Roache, who supported Corbyn as leader, told BBC Radio 4’s the World at One: “The Labour party have a clear policy. The clear policy is that Labour will uphold an at-sea deterrent. |
| “I would expect therefore all Labour MPs, including the leader of the Labour Party – in fact, especially the leader of the Labour party – to uphold that current policy.” | “I would expect therefore all Labour MPs, including the leader of the Labour Party – in fact, especially the leader of the Labour party – to uphold that current policy.” |
| He said he would now be balloting the GMB’s 640,000 members on whether they believed Corbyn was still the right person to lead the party. | He said he would now be balloting the GMB’s 640,000 members on whether they believed Corbyn was still the right person to lead the party. |
| On the same programme, Tom Watson , the deputy Labour leader, warned of “consequences” for trade union bosses who continue to back Corbyn. | On the same programme, Tom Watson , the deputy Labour leader, warned of “consequences” for trade union bosses who continue to back Corbyn. |
| “You have Len McCluskey [of Unite] strongly supporting Jeremy Corbyn, who will be voting against the Trident programme tonight, which will put many defence workers in Unite out of their jobs if he gets his way,” Watson said. | “You have Len McCluskey [of Unite] strongly supporting Jeremy Corbyn, who will be voting against the Trident programme tonight, which will put many defence workers in Unite out of their jobs if he gets his way,” Watson said. |
| “If I was a defence worker in Unite and I was reading social media that Unite were about to give Jeremy Corbyn a quarter of a million pounds of my subscriptions, I would be furious.” | “If I was a defence worker in Unite and I was reading social media that Unite were about to give Jeremy Corbyn a quarter of a million pounds of my subscriptions, I would be furious.” |
| While Watson said he expected the “vast majority” of Labour MPs to support the government motion backing Trident renewal, he acknowledged that the continuing divisions were harming the party. | While Watson said he expected the “vast majority” of Labour MPs to support the government motion backing Trident renewal, he acknowledged that the continuing divisions were harming the party. |
| He said: “It is not a great position for the Labour party to be in, to be honest. It doesn’t show clarity of thinking, nor do I think it would reassure people that we are strong enough on security matters. | He said: “It is not a great position for the Labour party to be in, to be honest. It doesn’t show clarity of thinking, nor do I think it would reassure people that we are strong enough on security matters. |
| “We might know that this is political skulduggery by the Tories but the country expects us to know our position on strategic defence matters, particularly something so important as our independent nuclear deterrent.” | “We might know that this is political skulduggery by the Tories but the country expects us to know our position on strategic defence matters, particularly something so important as our independent nuclear deterrent.” |