Staff, ITV News, Apr 29
It would be "irresponsible folly" for the next Government not to renew Trident, a group of former defence and security chiefs has warned.
Writing in The Times (£), the 20-strong group, including former GCHQ director Sir David Omand and former head of the Royal Navy Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, said that a decision against renewal would be "irrevocable".
“In an uncertain world where some powers are now displaying a worrying faith in nuclear weapons as an instrument of policy and influence, it would be irresponsible folly to abandon Britain's own independent deterrent.”– Excerpt from the letter signed by leading former security chiefs
Submarines would have to stop patrolling the seas straight away, as credibility in the system would be lost, the group added.
The cost of replacing Trident, a system of submarine-based nuclear missiles, based on four boats is estimated at between £17.5 billion and £23.4 billion.
The SNP, Greens and Plaid Cymru are in favour of scrapping Trident, in contrast to the Labour and Conservative position.
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