trident

The ConDem government are to ask the "great" British public for their views as to what spending cuts should be implemented in an attempt to try and balance the UK's budget deficit.

Only really one suggestion comes to my mind - scrap TRIDENT - our nuclear deterrent.

Sadly, for a man who I thought had more brains, the new Foreign Secretary, William Hague, announced within weeks of coming to power, a ball park estimate of the UK's nuclear weapon arsenal. Apparently the United Kingdom has 160 operational warheads, and 65 non-operational weapons.

Why was there such a need to announce this to the country? What was the point? Planning something with them, Mr. Hague?

Moreover, why the hell does this tiny island nation need 160 nuclear weapons. That's more than enough to destroy the planet many, many times over. This isn't a "deterrent", it's an outrage. A deterrent is a civilised way of keeping would-be's at bay. Armed as we are, we're basically saying "you're dead" if you try anything?

How much is it costing the UK taxpayer to keep these weapons of mass destruction in readiness to use? The true figure we'll never find out, but it doesn't take much intelligence to discern that the money could be a lot better used on public services in the HERE AND NOW, rather than spending for an unthinkable future apocalypse of nightmarish proportions.

Britain doesn't need Trident. No civilised country needs a nuclear weapon. Scrap them all now.