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Not present when the debate and vote was held on the motion to renew Trident on 14 March 2007
Replied to survey in November 2006 say ing he was not opposed to upgrading or replacing of Trident and said "I believe that the decision to replace the existing Trident missiles is a most important one. During the 1980's, the then Conservatives Governments published a series of open government defence documents that aired arguments about the decision to replace Polaris with Trident. The Government's Defence White Paper published in 2003 described the nuclear deterrent as the 'ultimate guarantor of the UK's national security'. This is a statement I endorse. No one can accurately predict the threats the UK will face in 20 or 30 years time. I therefore belive it is a strategic imperative that we replace our nuclear dettrent when the time comes . They are still vital as a deterrent when the time comes. They are still vital as a deterrent, especially with the proliferation of both nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. when we were in Government we began the process of major reductions in the UK's stockpiles of nuclear weapons, whilst at the same time ensuring that Britain retained gnough to deter aggression. This Government has futher reduced the number of nuclear weapons since 1997. I will continue to support multi-lateral nuclear disarmament and the Nuclear Non-Profliferation Treaty. The conservatives hope to use a 'supply day' debate in the House of Commons to debate the merits of replacing Trident in the next few months. I believe that the decision to replace Trident is of paramount importance and I welcome the fact that Parliament will be able to vote on this matter"
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