Britain’s Trident: Will the sun never set?

Two weeks ago, the British House of Commons agreed to acquire a new generation of nuclear submarines in order to maintain their current deterrent. The Trident proposal met with considerable dissonance within the Labor ranks, and a total of 95 Labor MPs voted against the Prime Minister and a gaggle of Conservative representatives.

Given the historical position of the Labor party, it is hardly surprising that nearly two-thirds of their members voted against the scheme. For, since the 1960s, the Labor party has advocated for unilateral nuclear disarmament, and indeed, both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were at one point stanch supporters of this policy.

But times change. Now, it seems that the majority of the Labor party is unlikely to have their way even when Tony Blair steps down and Gordon Brown most likely assumes power. Thus, it appears that in the near future, the sun is not likely to set on Britain’s thriving nuclear program. However, according to most Labor MPs, that future may not be so bright….