Should the UK keep its nuclear missiles?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

One of the issues that will be faced by the next UK Parliament, is the renewal of the 'Trident' nuclear armed submarines, which requires a vote in 2016 if the UK is to continue being in the nuclear club.

At present, Britain has four submarines which allows one submarine to always be at sea (allowing the deterrent effect to be continuous). Nuclear missiles are very expensive - swallowing up a significant portion of the Defence budget, that many dislike.
 

The Tories, DUP and UKIP are fully committed to nuclear renewal. The SNP, Greens, Plaid and Respect are advocating disarmament.

The other two are giving mixed messages. Labour, which used to tear itself to shreds over the issue, are giving mixed messages - it has some constituencies which would benefit from the manufacturing of new arms and much of its traditional wing want to keep a strong independent deterrent. The Lib Dems, which used to support disarmament, seem to have adopted a Wulfric style solution of keeping only two or three submarines. This would not provide continuous at-sea deterrence.

[SATW]

Yes, absolutely. Especially if every other country currently armed with nukes keeps theirs. It would be a massive diplomatic and strategic failure on the UK's part to get rid of them.

[SWE]

Ideally no country should

[Murica!]

Ideally no country should

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

One of the issues that will be faced by the next UK Parliament, is the renewal of the 'Trident' nuclear armed submarines, which requires a vote in 2016 if the UK is to continue being in the nuclear club.

At present, Britain has four submarines which allows one submarine to always be at sea (allowing the deterrent effect to be continuous). Nuclear missiles are very expensive - swallowing up a significant portion of the Defence budget, that many dislike.
 

The Tories, DUP and UKIP are fully committed to nuclear renewal. The SNP, Greens, Plaid and Respect are advocating disarmament.

The other two are giving mixed messages. Labour, which used to tear itself to shreds over the issue, are giving mixed messages - it has some constituencies which would benefit from the manufacturing of new arms and much of its traditional wing want to keep a strong independent deterrent. The Lib Dems, which used to support disarmament, seem to have adopted a Wulfric style solution of keeping only two or three submarines. This would not provide continuous at-sea deterrence.

The "deterrence" point in 2015 is beyond absurd. Who is the UK trying to ensure MAD with? That said LOL@the Liberal Democrats.

Scrapping the whole thing is the only logical thing at this point.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Scrapping the whole thing is the only logical thing at this point.

Not if you live in Barrow-in-Furness!

[Lief 🗽]

Scrapping the whole thing is the only logical thing at this point.

Not if you live in Barrow-in-Furness!

You'd think they could just find some other make-work project to give them...

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Scrapping the whole thing is the only logical thing at this point.

Not if you live in Barrow-in-Furness!

You'd think they could just find some other make-work project to give them...

If it doesn't have the potential to wipe out human civilisation, it ain't worth doing.

[Sumner 1868]

Ideally no country should

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Option 2.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

should be turned over to the eu, along with france's

[Dr. Cynic]

It probably should be renewed, but the scaling down should begin now.

[H. Ross Peron]

should be turned over to the euNATO, along with france's and America's

[YL]

Disarm, and find something that's actually worth having for people in Barrow to do.

[politicallefty]

I believe the UK should remain a nuclear power so long as there are nuclear powers in the world. I do support full nuclear disarmament of all countries, but no country should disarm unilaterally.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

should be turned over to the eu, along with france's

[Ebowed]

Disarmament for everyone!

[VPH]

In full. In this day and age, you never know what major nations will do. Always best to stay safe.

[James Monroe]

Disarmment(D)

[Lief 🗽]

Considering it will be an Islamic state within a century, it should do the rest of the world a favor and dispose of them immediately.

mods pls

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

Considering it will be an Islamic state within a century, it should do the rest of the world a favor and dispose of them immediately.

What?

You are unaware of the radical Islamic movement to take over Europe?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Considering it will be an Islamic state within a century, it should do the rest of the world a favor and dispose of them immediately.

What?

You are unaware of the radical Islamic movement to take over Europe?

I feel like I recognize that art style.

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

Considering it will be an Islamic state within a century, it should do the rest of the world a favor and dispose of them immediately.

What?

You are unaware of the radical Islamic movement to take over Europe?

I feel like I recognize that art style.

The name "Brawl in the Family" ring a bell?

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

The idea that the Muslims are taking over the UK is absurd and straight out of the UKIP playbook.

Now France...

[Oakvale]

rofl ShadowOfTheVeil