Don't 'Jump The Gun' Over Trident: Clegg

Nick Clegg has warned people not to "jump the gun" over whether or not the UK Trident nuclear weapsons system will be replaced.

Conservative Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has announced £350m will be spent on design work.

The Tories want a like-for-like replacement for Trident, while the Lib Dems oppose it.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the coalition agreement was "crystal clear".

"It stands. It will not be changed. It will not be undermined," he said.

"The final decision on the replacement of Trident will not be taken until 2016, however much other people may not like it.

"The idea of a like-for-like entirely unchanged replacement of Trident is basically saying we will spend billions and billions and billions of pounds on a nuclear missile system designed with the sole strategic purpose of flattening Moscow at the press of a button."

Mr Hammond said: "Our continuous submarine-based nuclear deterrent is the ultimate safeguard of our national security and the government is committed to maintaining it, both now and in the future.

"This latest expenditure for the next generation of nuclear-armed submarines is an investment in UK security and the British economy, sustaining high-quality jobs and vital skills."

Meanwhile, the SNP have revealed an independent Scotland would make the possession of nuclear weapons illegal, if that was what the Scottish people wanted.

But Mr Hammond said: "We are confident that the Scottish people will choose to remain part of the United Kingdom. The Faslane complex is the largest employment site in Scotland with over 6,500 jobs underpinning the local economy.

"We have no plans to move the nuclear deterrent from the Clyde. On the contrary, we intend to move the Astute and Trafalgar Class attack submarines to Faslane, creating a further 1,500 jobs."

(IT)