Brown ... warning
By ONLINE REPORTER
November 25, 2006
GORDON Brown warned Labour rebels today it was nonsensical to ditch nuclear weapons while North Korea and others were developing atomic warheads.
In a move to face down an impending backbench revolt, the Chancellor dismissed calls for unilateral disarmament in an appearance at Labour’s Scottish conference.
Brown says that Britain will keep its Trident nuclear deterrent whilst countries such as North Korea develop theirs
Prime Minister Tony Blair said this week there would be a White Paper before Christmas on the future of Trident, Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent.
It is widely expected that the paper, to be put to a Commons vote early next year, will recommend replacing the submarine-based system.
Mr Brown insisted today there would be a debate on the subject and said Britain supported multilateral disarmament.
But he made clear that Britain giving up nuclear weapons on its own was not an option while proliferation remained in prospect.
“There will be a full debate in the next few months about Trident,” he said.
“But I think people should bear in mind over the next few months on this issue that if North Korea has nuclear weapons, if there are other states threatening to have nuclear weapons, then it doesn’t make sense to take unilateral action.”
While Trident still has 20 years’ life left, Mr Blair wants to make a decision on its future before he leaves office because an upgrade would take almost as long to develop.
North Korea provoked international uproar recently when it tested its first nuclear warhead, while Iran is thought to harbour similar ambitions.
thesun.co.uk