News Archive

Churches call on Government not to replace Trident
28 November 2006

The Methodist Church calls on the Government not to replace Trident:

The Methodist Church is repeating its call for the Government to not replace Trident and to take a leading role in disarmament talks under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Steve Hucklesby, Methodist Secretary for International Affairs, said: "A decision to replace Trident would send an adverse signal to other states. When the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty was made permanent in 1995 it was on the basis that the nuclear powers would disarm. By stating that the UK will maintain a nuclear missile system indefinitely 'just in case' we are reneging on that agreement.

"A number of states find themselves under pressure to develop nuclear technology and signal their arrival as nuclear powers. Keeping nuclear weapons 'just in case' undermines the NPT and will do untold damage to non-proliferation negotiations."

The 2006 Methodist Conference called on the Government not to replace Trident when it reaches the end of its working life but to take a lead in disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations. Recent press reports suggest that six states including Egypt and Saudi Arabia are considering developing nuclear power technology.

"The Government acknowledges that terrorism is likely to remain a major threat to the security of our country for some time to come. By taking such a relaxed approach to non-proliferation our Government is in danger of taking its eye off the ball. The more fissile material there is around the more likely it is that it will fall into the wrong hands and be used against us. There is a better path to improving our national security. It requires vigorous support for non-proliferation supported by a decision not to renew Trident."

In conjunction with the United Reformed Church and Baptist Churches, the Methodist Church has encouraged its members to write to their MPs to express their views in advance of the debate in the House of Commons.

The United Reformed Church condemns Government proposal to renew Trident

The United Reformed Church has declared its opposition to the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear weapons programme. An independent nuclear deterrent for Britain made even less sense now than it did twenty years ago, when Britain originally opted for Trident, the Revd Peter Brain, Moderator of the North Western Synod said, speaking at the United Reformed Church's national council. The economics of the programme are, he said, 'absurd'.

The Council (meeting on October 4 2006) called upon the government to publish comprehensive information on both nuclear and non-nuclear options so that there might be a full public and parliamentary debate, before a decision on renewal is taken. It also commended a background briefing from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland: Trident - UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads. Church members will be encouraged to write to Members of Parliament - and members of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly where appropriate - expressing the Church's view.