Budgetary constraints may force defence spending rethink
A panel of experts believe the current economic situation will require the government to seriously re-think their defence spending options.
Brexit & Foreign Policy
Replacing Trident with Astute could save £45 billion
As debate intensifies on the future of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, a fiscally reasonable, strategically sound alternative is emerging in the form of the new Astute class submarine. With the production and development costs of the Trident successor programme costing £20test
Has the G20 done enough to avoid another “oh, my god” moment?
In an absolutely fascinating reconstruction of the events that led to the near collapse of the global financial system last September, the New Yorker’s James B Stewart describes an extraordinary exchange between the Bank of America’s Christopher Flowers and Hanktest
Joyce: Trident not primarily a matter of defence
Labour MP, Eric Joyce – who resigned earlier this month as parliamentary aide to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth – has called for the future of Trident to be considered as part of a defence review. Writing for Compass, Joyce says:test
An equal footing for economic, social and culture rights
Today the snappily named ‘Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ (ICESCR) opens for signature at the United Nations. 42 years after a similar mechanism was adopted for civil and political rights, the equal status of those suffering from deprivations of their economic, social and cultural rights has been recognized.
Trident “not a great deal of use” against Iran
The Prime Minister is set to announce that Britain’s nuclear missile fleet should be cut from four submarines to three, telling the United Nations that if they are serious about a nuclear-free world they will need “statesmanship, not brinkmanship.” Speakingtest
Muted response to China’s UN climate speech
The Independent this morning promised that, “China lays down challenge to Obama on climate.” It went on: “Officials in Beijing indicated last night that Mr Hu would arrive in Manhattan this morning ready to unveil ‘important’ plans for reducing China’stest
Climate activist tells Brown of “deep concern” over Copenhagen
Avaaz, the international online civic organisation, held a successful campaign event in Parliament Square yesterday with one activist telling Prime Minister Gordon Brown that she was, “deeply concerned that the [Copenhagen] negotiations are way off track.”
Trident opposed by two-in-three
An exclusive poll carried out by YouGov for Left Foot Forward reveals that 63 per cent oppose the Government’s plans to renew the Trident nuclear deterrent while a diminishing number of people believe that nuclear weapons make them safer.
Get Gordon to Go
Ed Miliband has launched a campaign to get his boss, Gordon Brown, to join him at the Copenhagen talks. Meanwhile, the international online civic organisation, Avaaz, have sent an email to their 300,000 British members urging them to, “flood a UK online poll [and] … send Gordon to Copenhagen.”