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Trident

Independent - Trident revolt grows as minister resigns: Government whips have mobilised to stop more Labour MPs joining the revolt against the replacement of the £65bn Trident missile system - after the Deputy Leader of the Commons announced yesterday he was quitting in protest... The Liberal Democrats threw their support behind the Labour rebels, after heated talks within the Lib Dem leadership. It could lead to a group of about 10 Tory MPs defying their own three-line whip and voting against the Government. David Cameron, the Tory leader, has ordered his MPs to vote for the Trident replacement but some Tories accused Tony Blair of rushing the decision to complete his legacy.

Trident is a bad deal, not least because of this:

BBC - Q&A: Trident replacement (Is Trident independent?): Tony Blair was at pains to say that firing Trident does not require the permission, the satellites or the codes of any other country (i.e. the United States) and that therefore it is fully operationally independent. However, critics say that Britain is technically so dependent on the United States that in effect Trident is not an independent system. For example, the British Trident missiles are serviced at a US port in Georgia, the missiles are to have their lives extended by the US and Tony Blair has said the UK will work with the US when the US develops a replacement for the D5 missile in the 2040s. The critics also argue that the British warhead design is based on an American one and that warhead components are also from the United States.

I don't see that see much can come from lobbying my MP, as she's only recently been promoted to shadow cabinet and is unlikely to buck under a three-line whip in the best of circumstances... but I will be there making a noise:

CND: Emergency Lobby of Parliament and Rally on 14th March

If you're on the lookout for likely rebels, your best starting-point is right here.

More soon.

UPDATE - Ah, see? What did I tell you?

Guido's not discussing it, Iain Dale doesn't get it. It's another glorious sunny day in Britblogland.

Oh, and the banner shown in this next news item is not quite as big as the London Eye's 'red nose' display, but I'm sure the police would have been wanting the necessary forms from these gentlemen:

InTheNews.co.uk - Greenpeace scales parliament

UPDATE - Got my posters sorted (see right). Printing many A3 copies right now...

UPDATE - Please read this.

Posted by Manic on March 13, 2007 2:43 PM in the category The War on Stupid

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