Janus-like observation by Admiral Lord West over Aldermaston and Trident

 

 

 

Letter to The Times:

 

I read with incredulity the letter from former Labour Security minister and First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord West of Spithead (“Confidence in the Trident System,” 14 June, http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/eu-and-the-value-of-immigration-to-the-nhs-72w5dtqnn ) in which he asserts “Reports such as this by the Nuclear Information Service (NIS) on warhead production, and numerous bogus studies on the vulnerability of submarines to detection or to cyber attack, are attempts to bemuse and confuse MP.”

 

I was present at the Parliamentary launch on 7 June of this report AWE: Britain’s nuclear weapons factory- past, present and possibilities for the future, http://www.nuclearinfo.org/sites/default/files/AWE%20-%20Britain%27s%20Nuclear%20Weapons%20Factory_0.pdf

(which inexplicably was not mentioned at all in The Times article of 8 June cited by Lord West), during which Lord West conveyed a distinctly different view point on the NIS report, intervening at the end of the report’s presentation, prior to his departure to give  evidence on naval procurement to the Defence Select committee, and thus absented himself from the lively discussion that ensued

 

Lord West publicly welcomed the report, and stressed that there has not been sufficient Parliamentary scrutiny of the decision to renew Trident, indicating the report was a valuable contribution to filling just that policy vacuum.

 

Either he has changed his mind in a week on the merits of the NIS report, or is being hypocritical in praising the report to its authors, and decrying it to Times readers.

CONFIDENCE IN THE TRIDENT SYSTEM

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/eu-and-the-value-of-immigration-to-the-nhs-72w5dtqnn

The Times, letters, 14 June 2016

Sir, Your article “Secret work on new nuclear warhead reignites Trident row” (June 8) does not reflect that the Atomic Weapons Establishment’s work on warheads is primarily to ensure that warhead explosives remain stable and safe throughout their life. The report by the Nuclear Information Service (NIS) does at least assert this fact.

Reports such as this by the NIS on warhead production, and numerous bogus studies on the vulnerability of submarines to detection or to cyber attack, are attempts to bemuse and confuse MPs, not least the shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry, when they have to vote on the decision to replace the four Vanguard-class submarines.

The primary decision the nation has to take is: do we wish to maintain a deterrent or opt for unilateral disarmament? If the decision is to maintain the deterrent then study after study has shown that the submarine option is the most secure, reliable and best value for money.

To try to undermine confidence in the Trident system as an indirect method of achieving unilateral nuclear disarmament is a betrayal of the British people.
Admiral Lord West of Spithead
House of Lords