Letter from Naheed Arshad-Mather to Reporter

To the South Manchester Reporter

Should we replace Trident? The answer should be an emphatic no. At a time when there is real concern about other nations developing nuclear weapons it is an opportunity for Britain to show real leadership in the world by being the first of the post war powers to give up its nuclear weapons. In doing so we should be encouraging other countries, India and Pakistan in particular, to do likewise. Being prepared to give up our own weapons also gives us a greater right to tell the likes of Iran and North Korea that it is unacceptable for them to develop nuclear weapons.

We should also be considering the role that we wish to play in the world and in terms of our national defence whether money is best spent on conventional or nuclear forces. I believe that our armed forces should be properly equipped and for the roles that they are being asked to carry out. The cost of a Trident replacement would swallow much of the defence budget and the money would be better spent on the equipment that the armed forces actually need and on better terms and conditions for our servicemen and women.

Naheed Arshad-Mather