UK Government fast-tracks Trident renewal with £1bn payment

The UK Government is forging ahead with the construction of the new generation of Clyde-based Trident submarines with a £1billion payment allowing manufacturing to begin by the end of the year, it has emerged.

HMS Vigilant, one of the UK's four nuclear warhead-carrying submarines, at Faslane. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Scottish Government veterans minister Keith Brown has hit out at the news and branded the £41 billion UK nuclear deterrent a “white elephant” project.

The Ministry of Defence says it is to announce “key milestones” in the renewal of Trident. But ministers are reportedly ready to release £1 billion, possibly as early as next month, to allow BAe systems and Rolls Royce to begin manufacture of the first of the four submarines that will carry the UK’s renewed nuclear deterrent.

It marks the first payment since MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of renewing Trident last month, despite opposition from the SNP and Scottish Government.

Public protests against the renewal of Trident have stepped up in recent months. Picture: Ian Georgeson

A spokesman Mr Brown said: “From the moment they took office, the Tories have slashed spending on public services and instigated the most brutal welfare cuts in living memory – all because they claim there is no money.

“Yet whenever money is needed for their nuclear weapons obsession, they always seem to be able to write cheques for ten-figure sums at the drop of a hat.

“With the delay to the Hinkley power plant deal Theresa May has already shown she is nervous about committing to extortionate white elephant projects – the Prime Minister should also pause and reflect before wasting yet more money on the immoral and militarily useless Trident programme.”

Public protests against the renewal of Trident have stepped up in recent months. Picture: Ian Georgeson

The Ministry of Defence said it continued to “deliver the successor submarine programme milestones.”

A spokeswoman added: “We will announce key programme milestones in due course.”

Last Month, Nationalist politicians and shipbuilding unions reacted furiously after the Ministry of Defence admitted there is no start date for the new Type 26 frigate fleet to be built on the Clyde.

The prospect of the Type 26s being built on the Clyde had been widely held up by pro-union politicians as a reason to vote Yes during the independence referendum two years ago. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the admission was a “disgraceful betrayal” of shipyard workers after it was made at a meeting of the House of Commons defence select committee.

DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY