Nuclear weapons policy looks set to feature as a political issue in the 2015 general election. A broad consensus on UK nuclear weapons policy since of the end of the Cold War amongst the party leaderships of the three main Westminster parties has been disturbed by the debate on whether and, if so, how to replace the current Trident nuclear weapons system.
Publication
Trident downgrade would be reckless, say Tories on eve of Lib Dem review
Richard Norton-Taylor references recent BASIC publication, Trident in UK Politics and Public opinion, in his article preceeding the release of the UK goverenment's Trident Alternatives Review.
Read the full article on the Guardian website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/15/trident-downgrade-reckless-philip-hammond
The Future of Nuclear Weapons
On 11th June, Warwick University's Politics and International Studies department (PAIS) hosted a meeting in collaboration with BASIC entitled 'The Future of Nuclear Weapons: Between Disarmament and Proliferation'. The event, which brought together experts from diverse backgrounds and with significant experience on these issues, consisted of two roundtable discussions on the future of Trident and British nuclear weapons policy and prospects for non-proliferation and disarmament in the Middle East.
Reading the findings of the UK Trident Alternatives Review
The long-anticipated government Trident Alternatives Review, which will outline options for the next British nuclear weapon platform and delivery system, is expected to be made public next week. This short briefing anticipates the publication of the Government’s TAR, and provides analysis on how it should be read.
Implications of President Obama’s Speech in Berlin and Nuclear Strategy Review
—Progress on nuclear reductions will require more successful engagement with Russia President Barack Obama set…
NATO’s Nuclear Guardians: Why NATO’s bureaucracy is unable to initiate change to, or support reform of, Alliance nuclear policy
BASIC senior consultant Ted Seay explores the institutional history of NATO's theater nuclear weapons (TNW) and explains why in recent years the Alliance has been slow to move forward with changes that could further reduce this arsenal.
Engaging Russia on Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Next steps on confidence building
BASIC, in cooperation with the Arms Control Association (ACA), the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), hosted in Brussels on April 15, 2013 a private roundtable on engaging Russia on tactical nuclear weapons.
Backgrounder: The ‘P5’ Conferences: Past Meetings and Policy Considerations for Geneva 2013
This background briefing gives context, recent history, and key issues affecting the 'P5' meeting of the NPT nuclear weapon states in Geneva this week (April 18th-19th) and speculates as to what is likely to be on the agenda.