SNP renews call for world cluster bomb ban

The UK is to abandon its entire stockpile of cluster bombs as a key step in the long-running international campaign against the weapons.

In a policy reversal yesterday, beleagured Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed to lead the way in scrapping all its cluster bombs before diplomats from more than 100 countries later unanimously passed a treaty to ban the use of the bombs around the world.

Delegates in Dublin also agreed to destroy any stockpiles of the weapons within the next eight years. The agreement does not include the US, China or Russia.

But it was hailed as a triumph by campaigners last night.

SNP Euro-MP Alyn Smith said: "I am delighted that the negotiations in Dublin have come to a successful conclusion.

"Cluster bombs have been criticised for killing and maiming civilians in war zones all over the world.

"The Dublin treaty will hopefully create a new international standard that will prevent the use of cluster bombs even by those countries that have not signed up.

"We now need to work to encourage the widest possible international support for the new convention."