Trident To ‘Cost Wrexhamites £2,800 Each’

Today saw a debate in the House of Commons over the possible renewal of the UK’s ‘Trident’ nuclear deterrent defence system.

Ahead of today’s SNP Opposition Day debate, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Clwyd South, Mabon ap Gwynfor criticised the “eye-watering” latest estimate for the cost of renewing the nuclear defence system, calling for it to be scrapped entirely.

He said: “We are told time and again that the single biggest threat we face is terrorism, yet the Government plans on spending hundreds of billions of pounds on an out-dated weapons system that is neither a defence nor independent.

“Modern-day threats require modern-day defences. Spending on UK security in the 21st century should focus on tackling extremism and cyber-terrorism, and keeping our streets safe.

“With revised figures showing that Trident is set to cost an eye-watering £183 billion over the system’s lifetime, the UK Government’s renewal plans lack a moral, economic and strategic case.

“This amounts to a staggering £12.6 million every year over the lifetime of Trident to Wrexham, or £2,800 per person in the UK. This at a time when care homes, libraries, buses and other public services are being closed. It is simply indefensible.”

Wrexham.com asked the local Conservative candidate for Wrexham if and why he supported his party in the Trident renewal proposals, and if the mooted £180 billion cost was worthwhile. Mr Atkinson said: “I fully support the renewal of Trident.”

“I don’t like the idea of nuclear weapons and would be the first to discuss multilateral disarmament if that were an option but it’s not.”

“Unilateral disarmament is irresponsible and would leave us dangerously exposed.
I’m very pleased that the Conservative Government is spending more on defence in general right now in these extremely dangerous and volatile times.”

After a debate in the House of Commons this afternoon, MPs rejected an SNP motion opposing Trident’s renewal by 330 votes to 64. Some Labour MPs stayed away from the debate after being asked to abstain by their leader Jeremy Corbyn, with some Labour publications claiming the debate was designed to highlight Labour’s divisions rather a substantive discussion. MP Ian Lucas appears to have followed the Labour directive, and does not appear in lists for or against.

Mr Lucas did tweet showing he was active in Parliament today, even if avoiding this particular debate:

In Chamber to oppose outrageous Tory closure of @Wrexham HMRC office #HMRC

— Ian Lucas (@IanCLucas) November 24, 2015

As an ‘Opposition Day’ debate, the motion discussed would not have been binding on the Government, even if it was successful.

The debate transcript is currently here on Hansard.