Sir Ed Davey is calling on the government to start work on a "fully independent British nuclear deterrent".

Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey is calling on the government to start building a “fully independent British nuclear deterrent” to end the UK’s reliance on the US.

The UK has operational control of its nuclear arsenal, including British-built warheads, but it depends on the US to supply and maintain the Trident missiles that would deliver them.

In a speech to his party’s spring conference in York on Sunday, Sir Ed will argue the UK’s continued reliance on US support is an unacceptable risk to national security.

  • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    71·
    8 hours ago

    This belies a complete and total ignorance of the entire topic of strategic nuclear deterrence, and an extremely naive geopolitical worldview.

    For case studies of why nuclear deterrence is important, and why a lack thereof can be catastrophic to the state in question, see:

    • Ukraine
    • Iran
    • North Korea (is effectively un-invadeable because of their nuclear weapons)

    Moreover, this is not an escalation. It’s moving towards strategic independence from a (former) ally that has become deeply unreliable.