Jeremy Corbyn on Trident!

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry but what's the point in that.. Someone seriously needs to take his car wheels off and say the same thing , as that's what it amounts to ... If some world power does decide to declare war on us what are we to do  

Superb Jan 

My 5 pence worth, it's not an independent Nuclear deterrent, as we would never launch independently of NATO or the USA. So pay a percentage to the USA deterrent, maybe re-badge it as a NATO deterrent with NATO countries contributing.

Then with all the savings, bolster the conventional Armed Forces and Security Services. 

I think I'm falling under the spell of Corbyn politics!

Is it time to be realistic about Trident? To replace it, the forecast is around £100 billion, to give us a deterrent against who?

Any realistic threat from a weapon of mass destruction will be terrorist in origin. So we will we nuke Syria or Iraq in retaliation because that's where the terrorist cam from?

Or will we call upon the Territorial SAS, Army and Airforce Reserve as the tiny regular forces are already busy.

Or another off the wall idea, scrap Trident, and then scrap small business corporation tax, which according to the Economic & Social Research Council, makes up just 10% of the Corporation tax bill.

This will allow small businesses to prosper, free up cash for R&D, take on employees, who pay more income tax, etc etc.

Good god, I'm off to buy a beige jacket with leather elbow patches and a volvo 

Moved thread to politics section as it seems a better fit 

oooooh you going all lefty Steve? I like Corbyn is great. Trident is ridiculous in this day and age, if anyone pushes the nuke button we're all screwed so it's no deterrent really. The money spent on it is INSANE! People can't afford to feed themselves or their children and the NHS is going down the pan, not to mention everything else, yet we'll spend BILLIONS on pointless nuclear weapons. Get real. 

Ha, I started life as a leftie, as a truck driving squaddie  But I'd put myself as centre right now, more of a Blair Tory  I actually think Cameron is doing all right and 100% in favour of making the economy living within it's means. 9 out of 10 families claiming some sort of tax credit pretty much sums up a failed welfare system. 

But back to nuclear weapons, I'm also a realist. Unfortunately global politics dictate that there has to be a military balance, and that is nuclear weapons. By having 2 sides of an ideological divide having them, it will ensure they are never used.

Imagine a world where all Western Powers gave up Nuclear weapons, leaving the likes of Russia free to deploy and use smaller yield tactical nuclear weapons in say the Ukraine? What would be our response? Sanctions? Harsh words? The UN... 

Unfortunately these evil weapons create a paradox, that by having access to them ensures they will never be used.

My argument is that we can't afford them, not that we shouldn't have them. We are members of a military alliance, NATO, we already have joint NATO units, exercises and bases. Why not a joint NATO Nuclear deterrent. It would be at the fraction of the cost of independent deterrents, achieve exactly the same aim, and free up desperately needed budget to be spent on far worthier causes.

As for the UK just simply relinquishing it's deterrent and leaving it to the responsibility of others would put us on a dangerous and lonely course, which would no doubt damage or destroy any military and intelligence partnerships with the rest of NATO and leave us all a lot more vulnerable to terrorism.

I'd love to live in an utopian socialist world of peace loving people who look after each other, but unfortunately it doesn't reflect the horrible world we live in, or the nut job leaders of various countries and extremist groups who have a slightly different view 

That said Corbyn and his views certainly bring some interesting debate, and question the status quo, which is what the leader of the opposition is supposed to do. So good on him