A letter to the Times which was published on 21st June 2009.

If we abandon Trident (leading article, June 20th), we shall leave France as the only strategic nuclear power in Europe, and we shall come under irresistible pressure to give up our permanent seat on the UN Security Council while France will continue to retain hers.  A nuclear submarine armed with ballistic missiles is the only weapons system that allows pressure to be brought on an enemy state anywhere in the world.

Coupled with the two planned carriers, an updated Trident system will give the UK the most potent force projection that can be bought for the money – about £20 billion spent over 10 years, or an average of about £5 billion per annum for the capital cost of the equipment.  This should be compared with the £10 billion net per annum we shall soon be spending in direct contributions to the EU, or £3 billion plus per annum on local authority “cultural services”.

Can anyone seriously suggest that we will derive better value as a nation from these other expenditures?