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Multilateral Foreign Policy > Published by Kate Hudson, November 24th 2011 at 6:00 pm

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate

This week defence secretary Philip Hammond stated the Trident Alternatives Review would not be made public, writes Kate Hudson, general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

This gratuitous lack of transparency just seems bizarre and is a blow to the credibility of the government as a whole and the Liberal Democrats in particular. And it is also a blow to the prospects for a full and open debate about Britain’s real security needs.

Trident-nuclear-submarine The Lib Dems have been justifiably under fire following successive policy concessions made to the Tories as part of their bid to be in government. Yet on the question of Trident and its replacement, they have fought their corner - thanks primarily to the principles of the party grassroots.

At the Lib Dem Conference in 2010, defiant party activists, outraged at the omission of Trident from the then ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review (pdf), tabled an emergency resolution. This won the ballot and resulted in a fiery hour on the floor with successive speakers arguing against the replacement of Britain’s nuclear weapon system.

Some argued against like-for-like replacement – which remains party policy - while others argued against Britain retaining a nuclear weapons system at all.

It was in this context that Nick Harvey’s Trident Alternatives Review, announced by Liam Fox in May, was lauded as a success for the junior partner in the coalition. Harvey, the Minister for the Armed Forces, was to hold the Tories’ insatiable appetite for Trident replacement to account and stimulate real debate with credible, evidence-based alternatives.

Just two months ago, at this year’s Lib Dem conference, Mr Harvey told a fringe meeting he was “absolutely convinced” the possibility of developing dual-use nuclear submarines was a “game-changer” for government plans. Even Ed Miliband told the Labour party conference the government had “done the right thing by commissioning a study looking at whether there are alternatives to the renewal of Trident”.

Now, in response to a question from Jeremy Corbyn, Philip Hammond has laid bare the significance of the review for the Tories:

“There are… no plans to publish either the report or the information it draws upon.”

This speaks volumes about the Conservatives’ openness to reasoned and transparent consultation over Trident replacement: it is virtually non-existent. Maybe that’s not surprising, but the really interesting issue is why. In my opinion it shows they’re scared of the debate - and that really isn’t surprising.

The majority of the population wants to see Trident scrapped; spending on Trident is a disaster for the public sector, including conventional defence; senior military figures describe it as useless; and the government itself has downgraded state-on-state nuclear attack to a tier two security threat.

When the decision on replacing Trident is due in 2016 and a general election will take place before that date, it is absolutely clear what the Tory strategy is: stifle the debate. That much at least is transparent.

See also:

• We can still fight Trident: Here’s how – Daniel Blaney, November 10th 2011

• Scrapping Trident for the savings is a losing argument; CND need realistic opposition – Andrew Gibson, November 4th 2011

• Memo to Westminster: UK “independent nuclear deterrent” not actually independent – Kate Hudson, May 27th 2011

• Government ramps up Trident work despite coalition pledge – Kate Hudson, February 18th 2011

• Coalition needs to work out where it stands on Trident – Marcus Roberts, August 4th 2010

Andrew

Excuse me, but WHY is Kate Hudson writing on Left Foot Forward?

She an activist in the hardline Stalinist Communist Party of Britain, for a start. She’s the one who had the Iranian Ambassador over to a CND conference to justify his country’s nuclear programme. When he was heckled by Iranian democrats, they had them chucked out!

The Labour Party is all about standing up against Stalinists and other extremists. They’re our enemies, and they despise democratic progressives like us.

A very very poor piece and a really bad idea to have this woman writing here.
David Grace

As proposer of the emergency motion at the Liberal Democrat conference, I should add that it was passed unanimously and that both Shirley Williams and Minister Nick Harvey spoke in favour. I also point out that when the alternatives review was announced, Jim Murphy replied for Labour “Britain’s independent deterrent has been the cornerstone of our peace and security for over half a century, and our view is that, in today’s world, as long as there are other countries with such capability it is right that the UK retains an independent nuclear deterrent.” Outside parliament he added, “The Liberal Democrats are playing fast and loose with Britain’s defence”. When is the Labour Party going to have the courage and common sense to admit that Trident is (a) NOT independent but ties us to American foreign policy and (b) as a leading general said,”Dangerous, expensive and useless”.
http://twitter.com/saipang/status/139797762060455936 Sam Liu

Astonishing. Defence sec has said "there are no plans to either publish or report" findings of Trident review: http://t.co/UDjwhPH2
http://twitter.com/clashcitywomble/status/139806631444750336 Andy Gritton

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate: http://t.co/mw3WzLme writes @CNDuk's Kate Hudson
Wjhcoventry

Well as this is the last time the ‘Free-world’ will be willing to share this kind of high-tec programme with the British, we need to grab as much help as we can. The whole of Europe is depending on us getting every last bit of American support. Only then will the European deterrent be of the quality needed to ensure that the, so called, ‘Free-world’ will not be able to undermine the new order we are creating.

Support Trident support Europe !
Mr. Sensible

This government’s problem is that it has kicked this issue in to the long grass for political purposes.
http://twitter.com/nuclearinfo/status/139827685579952128 NIS

Kate Hudson of @CNDuk writes in @leftfootfwd on Philip Hammond's plans to keep the #Trident Alternatives Review secret: http://t.co/qL28uyjM
http://twitter.com/luke_mas/status/139827892539494400 Luke Massey

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate: http://t.co/mw3WzLme writes @CNDuk's Kate Hudson
http://twitter.com/tonyellis1/status/139832816732094464 Tony Ellis

RT @leftfootfwd Tories plan to suppress Trident debate: http://t.co/PhYLB8HZ writes @CNDuk's Kate Hudson
http://twitter.com/johnrentoul/status/139834806170173440 John Rentoul

Tories plan "to suppress Trident debate" (transl: "continue policy with which I disagree") http://t.co/QU1aqxVp #ashamediwaseveramemberofcnd
http://twitter.com/boab10/status/139834882451963904 Robert Ryan

Tories plan "to suppress Trident debate" (transl: "continue policy with which I disagree") http://t.co/QU1aqxVp #ashamediwaseveramemberofcnd
http://twitter.com/bernardmccabe/status/139834895169093632 Ben McCabe

Tories plan "to suppress Trident debate" (transl: "continue policy with which I disagree") http://t.co/QU1aqxVp #ashamediwaseveramemberofcnd
http://twitter.com/quietsilver/status/139834970993729536 Peter Garbutt

Tories plan "to suppress Trident debate" (transl: "continue policy with which I disagree") http://t.co/QU1aqxVp #ashamediwaseveramemberofcnd
http://twitter.com/Newsbot9 Newsbot9

Fix the UNSC THEN discuss this. The discussion is premature.
http://twitter.com/Newsbot9 Newsbot9

Exactly, can’t let the left into the centralists. You’re the person out of place here.
http://twitter.com/mcmlxxvi_ad/status/139859959037968384 Jamie

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/IK4jqXpW
PB

If the Trident Alternatives Review is not published, the Conservatives will be unable to justify their position that replacing Trident is the only option for the future of the UK’s nuclear weapons. The whole purpose of the review was to test this claim and see how valid it was.

Ed Miliband has given his backing to the Trident Alternatives Review, so he should stand up and say as Leader of the Opposition that the report should be published,
http://twitter.com/labour52rose/status/140003126987075584 Alex Braithwaite

RT @leftfootfwd: Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/ZZcPx7Mu
http://twitter.com/anne_schulthess/status/140017376921010176 Anne Schulthess

Kate Hudson, Gen Sec of @CNDuk in @leftfootfwd: Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/6duqnf8F
http://twitter.com/domlinley/status/140019086359937024 Dominic Linley

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/xId23GCY @YorkshireCND
http://twitter.com/domlinley/status/140024442272231424 Dominic Linley

Is this what democracy looks like?Review on alternatives to UK£100bn+investment in nuke weapons suppressed http://t.co/xId23GCY #occupyleeds
http://twitter.com/jamesclayton/status/140033226973519872 James Clayton

Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/xId23GCY @YorkshireCND
http://twitter.com/cnduk/status/140037833367896064 CND

If you missed our @leftfootfwd blog yesterday, read "Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/E6ZcgNoa
http://twitter.com/shalom_activist/status/140038416212574208 Shalom Activist

If you missed our @leftfootfwd blog yesterday, read "Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/E6ZcgNoa
http://twitter.com/peterjackharris/status/140038568386117632 Peter Harris

If you missed our @leftfootfwd blog yesterday, read "Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/E6ZcgNoa
http://twitter.com/shalom_activist/status/140038976487702528 Shalom Activist

WHAT!?!? Philip Hammond stated Trident Alternatives Review won't be made public!!! What was point in it then? http://t.co/TncCoWa0
http://twitter.com/adpucci/status/140039819677007872 Pucci D

RT @CNDuk: If you missed our @leftfootfwd blog yesterday, read "Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/rsxAnnJ8 #fb
http://twitter.com/mikehitchen/status/140040840075677697 Mike Hitchen

RT @CNDuk: If you missed our @leftfootfwd blog yesterday, read "Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/rsxAnnJ8 #fb
http://twitter.com/jon_bartley/status/140054304814923776 Jonathan Bartley

RT @leftfootfwd: Tories plan to suppress Trident debate http://t.co/In2vC9sb
http://twitter.com/yorkshirecnd/status/140090907797106688 Yorkshire CND

http://t.co/Y9q303uf http://t.co/4EDV2ScE
http://twitter.com/peacelinks/status/140247236264214531 David Pybus

Kate Hudson of @CNDuk writes in @leftfootfwd on Philip Hammond's plans to keep the #Trident Alternatives Review secret: http://t.co/qL28uyjM
http://twitter.com/blogsir/status/140265351802916864 blogsir

http://t.co/cMPMDItL ::: Kate Hudson, CND: Tories plan to suppress Trident debate – 24th November 2011: http://t.co/BCQOGoff
http://twitter.com/guyrope/status/140574191979216896 Pat Williams

"Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/KDPWmF1J RT @CNDuk
http://twitter.com/bridgetmck/status/140588235385614336 bridgetmck

"Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/KDPWmF1J RT @CNDuk
http://twitter.com/philrandal/status/140588434577301504 Phil Randal

"Tories plan to suppress Trident debate" http://t.co/KDPWmF1J RT @CNDuk
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/11/tories-begin-trident-renewal-without-parliaments-consent/ Bypassing parliament, or: How the Tories learnt to stop worrying and renew the bomb | Left Foot Forward

[...] also: • Tories plan to suppress Trident debate – Kate Hudson, November 24th [...]
http://twitter.com/mariaminpeace/status/142622350184153088 Mariam O’Gorman

RT @leftfootfwd: Tories plan to suppress #Trident debate http://t.co/EFMMsZar
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/thatcher-shut-down-debate-on-trident/ Now we know: Thatcher shut down debate on Trident. Will the coalition follow course? | Left Foot Forward

[...] also: • Tories plan to suppress Trident debate – Kate Hudson, November 24th [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/02/scottish-independence-would-leave-trident-dead/ Scottish independence would leave Trident dead – and the MoD don’t care | Left Foot Forward

[...] also: • Tories plan to suppress Trident debate - Kate Hudson, November 24th [...]