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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Julian Huppert MP writes on Trident: We don’t need to keep fighting the Cold War
May 18, 2011 1:58 PM
• [May 18] Julian Huppert writes: I HAVE believed for a long time that we don't want nuclear weapons, we can't afford them, and they weaken our moral authority to persuade other people not to obtain them. I proposed the emergency motion on this which we passed last year. So how do I feel after today's statement on the Initial Gate for Trident replacement? Disappointed - but also encouraged and heartened by what we have achieved.
. . So what have we managed to do, despite being massively outnumbered?
We have managed to delay the final decision - the key vote - until after the next General Election. This means that there is an opportunity for Labour to reconsider their position, even if that is too much to ask of the Tories. And it also means that this can become an election issue.
. . And we have won a key concession, taken out of the coalition agreement. 'Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for alternatives.' Thanks to Nick Harvey's work, it was announced today that there will be a formal government study into alternatives to fullscale replacement.
. . If we are to convince people across the political spectrum that we don't need to keep fighting the Cold War, so that we win the final vote on this in 2016, we must work even harder - starting today!
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