The Trident Amendment

10.35.50am GMT Mon 29th Jan 2007

Nuclear mushroom

Below is the proposed amendment to the motion on Trident for the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference, also a copy of how the motion would read if the amendment was to be successful. If you are a Liberal Democrat Conference Representative and would like to support the motion please email me with your name, e-mail address, constituency or SAO and membership number either to colin@colin-ross.org.uk or by using the comment facility.

Proposed amendment to motion on Future of Britain's Nuclear Deterrent

Insert in paragraph (v), after "... expertise and materials" at end:

"but believes that the UK's best defence against such threats lies in strong alliances with other democratic states;"

Insert in paragraph (vi), after "... cease these programmes" at end:

"but notes that neither state poses a direct military threat to the UK;"

Insert in paragraph (vii), after "... neighbours and allies" at end:

"but also recognises that by replacing Trident the UK could well encourage other states to see nuclear weapons as essential to their own security and status, thus increasing the danger of proliferation;"

Delete paragraph (viii) and all after "Conference therefore" and substitute:

"Conference further notes that:

1. the transfer of nuclear weapons design and components between the USA and UK would breach Article 1 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty;

2. the UK's dependence on US co-operation to maintain the Trident system has influenced UK governments to identify too closely with US policy and interests to the detriment of our position in Europe and beyond;

3. the money required for replacing Trident would be better spent on strengthening and equipping our conventional forces which serve the true defence needs of the UK.

Conference therefore resolves that the UK should not procure a successor nuclear weapons system to the current Trident system."

The Future of Britain's Nuclear Deterrent (showing effect of amendment)

Conference notes the publication on 4th December 2006 of the White Paper The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent that sets out the Labour Government's position to:

(I) Maintain Britain's nuclear deterrent;

(II) Reduce the stockpile of operationally available warheads by 20%;

(III) Participate in the US life extension programme for the Trident D5 missile;

(IV) Take a decision on the future of the UK's nuclear warheads in the next parliament;

(V) Begin immediately the procurement of a new class of submarine to replace the 4 Vanguard class submarines, extending the life of the Vanguard-class by 5 years if necessary;

(VI) Take a decision on the number of new submarines required at a later date.

Conference:

(i) Reaffirms the Liberal Democrat commitment of seeking to achieve the global elimination of nuclear weapons and recalls the Liberal Democrat policy on Britain's nuclear weapons, as set out in Defending Democracy 2002 and the General Election Manifesto 2005 The Real Alternative, that "we would retain the UK's current minimum nuclear deterrent for the foreseeable future, until sufficient progress has been made towards the global elimination of such weapons";

(ii) Pledges the party to do all its power to ensure that Britain abides by its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and in particular in making more effective the review conferences on the NPT;

(iii) Urges all nuclear weapons states, whether party to the NPT or not, to engage through negotiation and through independent actions in a process of nuclear disarmament; in particular it urges those states that have yet to do so, including India, Pakistan, China, and the United States, to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) so that it can enter force;

(iv) Considers that none of the world's current nuclear weapons states poses a present threat to the UK and that nuclear weapons provide no defence or deterrent against terrorism;

(v) Recognises the medium and long term possibility that new threats could arise to the United Kingdom as a result of global or regional instability and conflict caused by factors such as competition for resources particularly energy, the effects of climate change, failing states, aggressive or oppressive regimes, social and economic marginalisation and the proliferation of nuclear and other weapons, expertise and materials; but believes that the UK's best defence against such threats lies in strong alliances with other democratic states;

(vi) Observes with serious concern the nuclear weapons test undertaken by the Government of North Korea and the continuing enrichment of uranium by the Government of Iran in contravention of Security Council Resolution 1696 and urges these states to cease these programmes but notes that neither state poses a direct military threat to the UK;

(vii) Particularly recognises the danger over the next decade of the proliferation of states possessing nuclear weapons and the pressure this would place on other regional powers to consider acquiring nuclear weapons themselves, including the possibility of one or more of such states posing a threat to Britain, its neighbours and allies but also recognises that by replacing Trident the UK could well encourage other states to see nuclear weapons as essential to their own security and status, thus increasing the danger of proliferation;

Conference further notes that:

1. the transfer of nuclear weapons design and components between the USA and UK would breach Article 1 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty;

2. the UK's dependence on US co-operation to maintain the Trident system has influenced UK governments to identify too closely with US policy and interests to the detriment of our position in Europe and beyond;

3. the money required for replacing Trident would be better spent on strengthening and equipping our conventional forces which serve the true defence needs of the UK.

Conference therefore resolves that the UK should not procure a successor nuclear weapons system to the current Trident system.

Applicability: Federal