Greenpeace attack Blair Trident announcement

Commenting on today’s announcement by Tony Blair that his government intends to build a new nuclear weapons system to replace Trident, John Sauven Acting Director of Greenpeace UK said,

“Tony Blair's decision to build new, more advanced nuclear weapons decades after the Cold War has ended is a monstrous waste of money and resources”.

He continued, “Saying there may possibly be a reduction in submarine and missiles means nothing – its typical Blair spin and a clear attempt to head off opposition. It doesn’t matter whether UK nuclear weapons are capable of annihilating millions of people rather than tens of millions – new nuclear weapons are still illegal under international law and still destroy international treaties”.

“The huge sums of money involved would be much better spent on real security needs including tackling climate change and reducing our dependence on oil from regions of conflict”.

He concluded, “It’s obscene that Blair is trying to push this crucial decision through without time for a real debate. It shows he is more interested in his nuclear legacy than getting the best outcome for the country and the taxpayer”.