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Ministers face Trident rebellion | Ministers face Trident rebellion |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Ministers are facing a possible Labour rebellion over plans to renew the UK's nuclear weapons system. | Ministers are facing a possible Labour rebellion over plans to renew the UK's nuclear weapons system. |
MPs will vote on Wednesday on the government's £20bn plans to replace the Clyde-based Trident system. | |
A BBC survey of Labour backbenchers found 64 out of 101 MPs opposed renewal. One ministerial aide has said he will resign over the issue. | A BBC survey of Labour backbenchers found 64 out of 101 MPs opposed renewal. One ministerial aide has said he will resign over the issue. |
But Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was "confident we will persuade people to come to our side". | |
Lack of support | Lack of support |
The survey for the BBC's The World This Weekend found that out of the 101 Labour MPs who responded, 22 said they supported the renewal of Trident. | |
A total of 64 said they opposed it, and a further 15 were still undecided. | A total of 64 said they opposed it, and a further 15 were still undecided. |
This could mean the government will have to rely on the votes of the Conservatives to carry Wednesday's motion to determine whether a new generation of nuclear submarines is acquired and the Trident D5 missiles updated. | This could mean the government will have to rely on the votes of the Conservatives to carry Wednesday's motion to determine whether a new generation of nuclear submarines is acquired and the Trident D5 missiles updated. |
There's increasing sentiment in parliament that this decision is being railroaded through CND chairwoman Kate Hudson | There's increasing sentiment in parliament that this decision is being railroaded through CND chairwoman Kate Hudson |
Mr Browne told BBC One's The Politics Show the UK had an "obligation" to retain a deterrent as part of its membership of Nato. | |
He said: "It's not nearly as straightforward as people suggest. They sleep soundly in their beds at night because we have nuclear weapons." | |
Mr Browne added: "Some people feel they are prisoners of the position that the party had before it changed in the 1980s [which was one of unilateral nuclear disarmament]." | |
He went on: "I'm still confident we will persuade people to come to our side of the argument." | |
'Substantial support' | |
Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer told BBC One's Sunday AM show: "There will be people who take a different view, but I hope we demonstrate that we are broadly unified on the way to go forward." | |
He added: "I'm sure we will get very substantial support on the Labour benches." | He added: "I'm sure we will get very substantial support on the Labour benches." |
But Livingston MP Jim Devine, who is parliamentary private secretary to health minister Rosie Winterton, has indicated he will resign before the Commons vote. | |
And the chairwoman of CND, Kate Hudson, told the BBC there could be other resignations. | And the chairwoman of CND, Kate Hudson, told the BBC there could be other resignations. |
"There's increasing sentiment in parliament that this decision is being railroaded through and that the promised consultation which the prime minister spoke of last year hasn't actually taken place," she said. | "There's increasing sentiment in parliament that this decision is being railroaded through and that the promised consultation which the prime minister spoke of last year hasn't actually taken place," she said. |
The Scottish National Party is also urging ministers not to base the replacement in Scotland. | |
Leader Alex Salmond said Mr Devine's resignation would signal a Labour split. | |
"The government's Trident replacement policy will loom large over a divided Labour party in Scotland in May," he said. | "The government's Trident replacement policy will loom large over a divided Labour party in Scotland in May," he said. |
"This resignation underscores that reality." | "This resignation underscores that reality." |
Mr Salmond called on the government not to base the proposed Trident replacement in Scotland. | Mr Salmond called on the government not to base the proposed Trident replacement in Scotland. |
He said new research showed that the multi-billion pound plans would cost jobs. | He said new research showed that the multi-billion pound plans would cost jobs. |
He cited a government White Paper which states £1bn a year over a period of 15 years will have to be raised from the Treasury budget or from new taxes. | He cited a government White Paper which states £1bn a year over a period of 15 years will have to be raised from the Treasury budget or from new taxes. |
Some £85m would come from north of the border, Mr Salmond claimed - the equivalent of more than 3,000 public sector jobs. | Some £85m would come from north of the border, Mr Salmond claimed - the equivalent of more than 3,000 public sector jobs. |
Consultation 'needed' | Consultation 'needed' |
Meanwhile, Labour leadership contender Michael Meacher said he would order a new vote on Trident after a "full and proper" public consultation if he won his bid to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister. | Meanwhile, Labour leadership contender Michael Meacher said he would order a new vote on Trident after a "full and proper" public consultation if he won his bid to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister. |
The former environment minister said the government was trying to "bounce" MPs into accepting a replacement in Wednesday's vote. | The former environment minister said the government was trying to "bounce" MPs into accepting a replacement in Wednesday's vote. |
He said: "By fixing the vote in the Commons next Wednesday, No 10 is bouncing parliament into a momentous decision years before expert opinion says that is necessary." | He said: "By fixing the vote in the Commons next Wednesday, No 10 is bouncing parliament into a momentous decision years before expert opinion says that is necessary." |