Misssile madness adds £100m to Trident costs

SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP, has seized on revelations that the cost of replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system is to soar by an extra £100 million this year because the missile being designed in the US may be the wrong size. A US company is to design a new missile compartment in an attempt to ensure that it will fit submarines designed in the UK.

Mr Robertson said:

"When the UK government is demanding investment cuts in public services it is utterly astounding that it would plan to waste even more on Trident.

"How on earth can there be confusion over the size of the missiles and the compartment they are supposed to go in. It would be comical if it was not such a desperate and irresponsible waste of money at a time of recession.

"Trident is just obscene, and in the current economic climate it is obvious that these resources should be better spent.

"This latest farce also exposes Labour claims that replacing Trident is costing nothing at present as complete gibberish. Iain Gray will have a red face after claiming on Question Time last week that replacement was not costing us anything right now. Iain Gray supports Trident, but he clearly does not understand the first thing about it.

"Instead of squandering £21bn on weapons of mass destruction, the UK Government should take the lead in calling for an end to nuclear weapons by bringing an end to this shameful waste of resources.”