NIS Researcher Steven Hendry discusses the findings of a BPIX survey which suggests that 63% of people would be happy to see Trident scrapped
A BPIX survey conducted last week and reported in the Mail on Sunday
shows that 63% would be happy to see Trident scrapped to save money.
With the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition issuing a stark warning on swingeing cuts in public spending and with the costs of replacing the UK’s nuclear arsenal falling under the spotlight in the pre-election debate, many are now seeing axing Trident as a desirable cut.
The public seem keen to see frontline services maintained and so it is vital that all options are open when the government makes investment decisions in all areas, especially defence.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) would provide a ideal opportunity for the government to consider whether billions of pounds should be spent on new nuclear weapons rather than other defence priorities. With Defence Secretary Liam Fox promising that the SDSR ‘will make a clean break from the military and political mindset of Cold War politics’ it is contradictory to exclude nuclear weapons – a prime example of Cold War thinking.
As the single largest item in the defence budget, and with public sentiment and financial realities demanding a rethink of the UK's nuclear weapons, it would be illogical for them not to be part of the SDSR.