Press Releases & Updates 2004

In today’s "Scotsman" journalist Tim Ripley gives an account of indications of new designs and plans, in particular for a new class of nuclear weapon submarine, which might also have a conventional weapon function.

In spite of government claims that no decisions have been made it has been obvious to campaigners for some time that planning has begun, given the heightened activity at Aldermaston and the proposed laser facility there. The political indications are also strong, given the stance at the recent NPT Prepcom, when the UK joined other nuclear weapon states in attempting to change the NPT agenda by downplaying the obligations on current nuclear weapon states to disarm and focusing solely on new states acquiring these weapons. In this context the likelihood that designs for a new nuclear weapon submarine fleet are in hand is hardly surprising.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said:

"This government is committed to digging itself ever deeper in the nuclear morass and is prepared to flout international law and its treaty obligations to do so. We need a new public awakening to what these weapons do to millions of people and to the planet. This is why our direct action campaign will continue this summer, with the disarmament camp at Aldermaston (2nd to 9th July) and the Big Blockade at Faslane on 23rd August."

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