Government posturing on Trident all about Blair's legacy - Harvey

8.51.39pm GMT Thu 25th Jan 2007

Commenting on Des Browne's speech at King's College London today on the nuclear deterrent, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey MP said:

"This posturing is all about Blair's legacy and little to do with Britain's security.

"If this Labour Government had spent even a tenth of the efforts it has expended on Iraq in trying to reinvigorate multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations, there could have been a realistic prospect of halting proliferation.

"We could do that now by cutting Britain's nuclear stockpile in half and engaging with other nuclear powers to make a reality of our legal obligation to negotiate in good faith towards full nuclear disarmament.

"Instead Tony Blair is determined to jump the gun and pour billions into a new nuclear system years before Britain needs to make a decision."

Applicability: this item refers to the UK.