Public Finance understands that the 87-strong Labour rebellion could have been bigger had the spin around costs been better assessed. Following a debate that led one minister to resign and 15 former ministers – including ex-home secretary Charles Clarke – to reject Blair’s policy, one senior rebel said: ‘Several floating voters in the Labour camp considered opposing the project but concluded that a £20bn top-end cost wasn’t significant for a 30-year deterrent.’ Well, how does £91bn sound? Because that might be a more realistic estimate of the bill taxpayers will foot for a new submarine-based nuclear ballistic missile system – one that some experts believe is a white elephant.
Public Finance 22nd March 2007
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