Call for Trident rethink prompts Barrow defence cut fears
Last updated at 14:59, Tuesday, 30 June 2009
TWO massive shipbuilding schemes tied up with Barrow shipyard’s future were under attack today because of their post credit crunch costs.
An investigation claimed the project for two giant new aircraft carriers is already £1bn over budget only a year after the deal was signed, making their cost £5bn instead of just under £4bn.
And a new policy study published today called for the government to rethink the Trident submarine project, on which Barrow shipyard’s future depends.
The Institute for Public Policy Research said ministers should consider whether the submarine-based system is the most cost-effective way of maintaining Britain’s “minimum” deterrent capability.
It suggested that one option could be a further life-extension for the ageing Vanguard class submarines, which carry the Trident missiles, beyond the current five-year run-on to 2024 already planned.
The future of Barrow shipyard until 2030 and beyond is based on the Successor Project to replace the existing Barrow-built Vanguard class Trident boats in the 2020s as the work on the Astute class subs runs out.
Currently a team of around 150 is working in Barrow on designs for the ‘Son of Trident’ subs, but by the middle of next decade thousands of workers will be working on them.
Regarding the aircraft carrier, Barrow’s involvement has already been cut back to a team of around 130 designers and draughtsmen who are working on detailed designs for the central sections.
The BBC investigation claimed a memorandum it had seen from the consortium building the carrier, which includes BAE, warned that the programme now faced a “real fight for survival”.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed it was currently re-costing the carrier programme, which had previously been estimated at up to £4bn.
Furness MP and former Defence Secretary John Hutton has challenged the Conservatives to come clean over their intentions about Trident if they get into power.
He said: “David Cameron needs to start being honest about his plans for defence cuts – where would the axe fall and which projects would be shelved.
“Local jobs in Barrow depend on the defence industry and families will see that no matter what the economic circumstances might be – and no matter what the defence requirements the future may hold – David Cameron has set a Conservative course for deep cuts to the defence budget.”
Mr Cameron revealed his party would carry out a review of defence projects if it gets into power.
But he also said: “I mean on Trident, you know, myself and the Conservative party supports Britain having an independent nuclear deterrent, that is absolutely vital for us.
“We voted for the replacement to Trident because all the evidence shows that is the best system to put in place and that is what we think Britain needs.”
Terry Waiting, chairman of the Keep Our Future Afloat Campaign shipyard lobby group, said he still believed both Labour and the Conservatives are committed to the successor Trident submarines.
He said: “The existing Trident fleet will come to the end of its lifetime and will become worn out and they will need replacing.
“Countries like North Korea are getting nuclear arms and we need to make sure we have the capabilities to defend ourselves in the future.
“Having Trident in the water has helped to maintain peace, which is something people fail to recognise.
“To say (by scrapping Trident) it would save all this money and our economic problems would be over is utter piffle, because we are not spending huge amounts of money on the replacement deterrent today, that is some time in the future.”
KOFAC met Tory defence spokesman Liam Fox two weeks ago and were assured that the Tories still backed Trident.
Mr Waiting said he was also confident that the aircraft carriers will also go ahead because steel cutting for the first ship, Queen Elizabeth, is due to take place next week.
He said the government had been warned that costs would escalate if they delayed the project.
Mr Waiting added: “One of the reasons it is above budget is because of the delays. They were told right from the beginning by slowing it down costs would be incurred.”
First published at 11:35, Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
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So many people have such short memories.
It is only because of nuclear weapons,and of the threat that we will have first strike
is the reason we are still here.
The capability of being able to destroy your enemy,and its people,makes countries sit down and talk their way out of a situation,that could easily end up in total destruction.
Tell it to Krushev and Kennedy in the sixties.It was because of the threat of use of the nuclear arsenal,that made Krushev realise,the Americans were not going to back down on its threat of use.
These liberertarians who want to close our nuclear capability down I have one question for them.
If Iran or Korea nukes us,which is possible,what do we do.Just take it and accept it.
The same as when we allowed Hitler to build up his armies,and destroyed most of Europe,
only the sea saved us from an invasion.
If history teaches us anything,it is.
All bullies and dictators get destroyed in the end.
By having nuclear weapons,we can all sleep peaceful in our beds at night,except those on active duty,doing their little bit for our country.
A debt of which we should all be proud and honoured,of still being able to have a fully professional trained armed forces,and that includes our nuclear deterent.
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Not only does this programme offer us protection, it provides many people work and financial security and not just in Furness. I do agree that schools and hospitals need money but like mentioned before what if we are threatend by Iran or north Korea? what are we going to do...throw our schools or hospitals at them...get real, keep the Trident programme going. Rule Britania
Posted by MIke on 4 July 2009 at 10:39