The UK Parliament will be voting tonight on the principle of replacing Trident nuclear weapons system. It is a symbolic commitment, unconnected to any contracts or procurement timetable. Meanwhile, the government commitment to leave the EU is stoking calls for a second Scottish referendum. As the UK’s nuclear weapons submarines have their only base in Scotland, voting for Trident before coming to an agreement about the UK’s future makes no sense.
Transparency
CASD: Options for Trident Patrolling
The third of BASIC's 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate focuses on the issue of continuous-at-sea-deterrence (CASD).
David Cameron announced at the NATO summit in Warsaw on Saturday, “a parliamentary vote [to be held] on July 18 to confirm MP's support for the renewal of four nuclear submarines capable of providing around the clock cover”. Theresa May is expected to follow through with this decision.
Commons Vote on Trident Imminent?
The UK Conservative government is considering pushing a rushed vote on Trident in July to divert attention from Brexit debates and exploit Labour’s internal divisions. However, such a move could be premature and politically risky. Delaying the vote could yield greater strategic benefits and allow more comprehensive debate and planning.
Dangerous Omissions and Intellectual Obfuscation: The ‘Left-Wing’ Case for Trident
Ian Sinclair, a writer for Open Democracy, published an article outlining a critical response to Paul Mason's “The leftwing case for nuclear weapons.” The article makes reference to a quote by Ted Seay that calls into question the independence of UK's nuclear policy.
Britain’s Trident Nuclear Program at Risk From Unmanned Sub Drones
Sputnik News published an article that was based on reports written by BASICs David Hambling on the security of the Trident replacement, given the emergence of new underwater technologies. The article quotes Hambling directly on two occasions to frame the context of the emerging underwater drone technology.
Ian Davis at the Shadow NATO Summit
Dr. Ian Davis, Director of NATO Watch, discusses transparency and NATO reform at the Shadow NATO Summit hosted by BASIC, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Elliott School of International Affairs, NATO Watch, and Strategy International in Washington, DC on May 14 and 15, 2012.