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| UK nuclear weapons plan unveiled | UK nuclear weapons plan unveiled |
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| Tony Blair has told MPs it would be "unwise and dangerous" for the UK to give up its nuclear weapons. | Tony Blair has told MPs it would be "unwise and dangerous" for the UK to give up its nuclear weapons. |
| The prime minister outlined plans to spend up to £20bn on a new generation of submarines for Trident missiles. | The prime minister outlined plans to spend up to £20bn on a new generation of submarines for Trident missiles. |
| He said submarine numbers may be cut from four to three, while the number of nuclear warheads will be cut by 20%. | He said submarine numbers may be cut from four to three, while the number of nuclear warheads will be cut by 20%. |
| Mr Blair said although the Cold War had ended the UK needed nuclear weapons as no-one could be sure another nuclear threat would not emerge in the future. | Mr Blair said although the Cold War had ended the UK needed nuclear weapons as no-one could be sure another nuclear threat would not emerge in the future. |
| I am sure many Labour MPs will be extremely angry because it is clear the prime minister has set out a pre-determined timetable Kate HudsonCND Send us your comments Key points: Blair on Trident | I am sure many Labour MPs will be extremely angry because it is clear the prime minister has set out a pre-determined timetable Kate HudsonCND Send us your comments Key points: Blair on Trident |
| He said the options of changing to a land-based, or air-based nuclear weapons system had been considered and ruled out. | He said the options of changing to a land-based, or air-based nuclear weapons system had been considered and ruled out. |
| Instead the system would remain one based on a fleet of submarines which carry the Trident missiles, each of which can be fitted with a number of nuclear warheads. | Instead the system would remain one based on a fleet of submarines which carry the Trident missiles, each of which can be fitted with a number of nuclear warheads. |
| Mr Blair said between £15bn and £20bn would be spent on new submarines to carry the Trident missiles. The submarines would take 17 years to develop and build, and would last until about 2050. | Mr Blair said between £15bn and £20bn would be spent on new submarines to carry the Trident missiles. The submarines would take 17 years to develop and build, and would last until about 2050. |
| He said the UK would also join the US programme to extend the life of the Trident missiles until 2042 - and would then "work with" the US on successor missiles. | He said the UK would also join the US programme to extend the life of the Trident missiles until 2042 - and would then "work with" the US on successor missiles. |
| A decision on the nuclear warheads themselves "is not needed now", Mr Blair said, although the white paper said a decision would be needed in the next Parliament. | A decision on the nuclear warheads themselves "is not needed now", Mr Blair said, although the white paper said a decision would be needed in the next Parliament. |
| MPs to vote | MPs to vote |
| Mr Blair, who faces some opposition within the Labour Party to the plans, said there were "perfectly respectable" arguments about giving up nuclear weapons. | Mr Blair, who faces some opposition within the Labour Party to the plans, said there were "perfectly respectable" arguments about giving up nuclear weapons. |
| TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works | TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works |
| But he said he had to make a judgement about the country's security and the consequences of misjudgement would be "potentially catastrophic". | But he said he had to make a judgement about the country's security and the consequences of misjudgement would be "potentially catastrophic". |
| "The risk of giving up something that has been one of the mainstays of our security since the war... is not a risk I feel we can responsibly take," he said. | |
| MPs will vote on the plans in March after a period of debate, he said. | MPs will vote on the plans in March after a period of debate, he said. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said his party agreed with Mr Blair's position "on substance and on timing". | Conservative leader David Cameron said his party agreed with Mr Blair's position "on substance and on timing". |
| But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said proper consideration of all relevant factors could only be made, if the decision was postponed until 2014. | But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said proper consideration of all relevant factors could only be made, if the decision was postponed until 2014. |
| He also wants the number of UK warheads halved to 100 - a move he said could help kickstart multilateral disarmament. | He also wants the number of UK warheads halved to 100 - a move he said could help kickstart multilateral disarmament. |
| It's hard to see what the point of the Cabinet's discussion was... BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full | It's hard to see what the point of the Cabinet's discussion was... BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full |
| Critics believe the money would be better spent elsewhere - saying Trident was designed for the Cold War era, not the current threats to the UK such as international terrorism. | Critics believe the money would be better spent elsewhere - saying Trident was designed for the Cold War era, not the current threats to the UK such as international terrorism. |
| Kate Hudson, from the anti-nuclear pressure group, CND, said she was "very very disappointed" with Mr Blair's announcement. | Kate Hudson, from the anti-nuclear pressure group, CND, said she was "very very disappointed" with Mr Blair's announcement. |
| "He talked vaguely about reducing the number of submarines and warheads but it is not clear what that would mean," she said. | "He talked vaguely about reducing the number of submarines and warheads but it is not clear what that would mean," she said. |
| "I am sure many Labour MPs will be extremely angry because it is clear the prime minister has set out a pre-determined timetable." | "I am sure many Labour MPs will be extremely angry because it is clear the prime minister has set out a pre-determined timetable." |