In the wake of the parliamentary vote over a potential Trident successor, Former Assistant Chief of Defence Staff in the Ministry of Defence, John Gower, cited BASIC’s three year independent cross-party enquiry on the issue. Gower acknowledged the balanced and inclusive approach BASIC adopted when undertaking the research.
“The continuing government position was also tested by the British American Security Information Council independent, cross-party commission between 2011 and 2014. Its report was more equivocal than had been expected, reflecting the deeply held and different views of its admirably balanced panel of expertise. There is much in the report with which I disagree, yet there is much which, while not in line with current HMG policy, deserves further work as part of the parallel tracks of maintaining a necessary and credible minimum deterrent while seeking more concrete and omnilaterally agreed steps towards reduction and long-term disarmament.” Gower, 2016
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