AP News, March 14th, 2007
Prime Minister Tony Blair told lawmakers Wednesday that it was essential for Britain to replace its four nuclear-armed submarines to meet possible future threats from rogue regimes and state-sponsored terrorists.
Blair was expected to win approval of the replacement program, which he estimates will cost $40 billion, only with the support of the opposition Conservative party. Around 100 lawmakers, including 60 from Blair's Labour party, plan to reject the proposal, claiming the replacement program risks undermining efforts to halt the weapons ambitions of Iran and other nations.
"I think it's right we take the decision now to begin work on replacing the Trident submarines, I think its essential for security in an uncertain world," Blair said during his weekly question period in the House of Commons before the debate and vote.
"Though it is impossible to predict the future, the one thing that is certain is the unpredictability of it," he said.
Anti-nuclear campaigners also claim the system could cost three times as much as the government's estimate.
Two junior members of Blair's government have resigned because of their opposition to the proposal. The Labour Party abandoned its long-held policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament in the late 1980s, but significant numbers of party members continue to press for Britain to scrap its nuclear arsenal.
Blair, who has said he will step down by September, has tried to placate program detractors by saying that the country's stock of nuclear warheads would be cut from 200 to 160.
Conservative leader David Cameron said his party supported the plan to replace the submarines, but asked Blair to guarantee he would stand by Wednesday's vote and not appease Labour rebels, who plan to table a motion claiming the case for replacing the submarines _ which had been due to be phased out starting in 2022 _ has not been proven.
"I entirely understand and respect the views of people who hold a different view on this," Blair said, "but I have been very firm on this and I will continue to be."
