Lib Dem ‘baby whip’ threatens Trident resignation
A Liberal Democrat government whip has said she is prepared to resign over Trident “if it comes to it”.
Addressing the party’s autumn conference in Liverpool, new Lib Dem MP Tessa Munt received applause from the sparsely-filled conference hall as delegates debated an emergency motion on Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
“I’m a baby whip, but I’ve made it clear there are some things I fundamentally disagree with,” Ms Munt, the MP for Wells, said.
“If it comes to it I shall resign the whip, for that is how strongly I feel about Trident.”
Her move reflects the strength of feeling within the wider Liberal Democrat party, which made it a major campaigning issue in the general election campaign.
Armed forces minister Nick Harvey, the only Lib Dem in the Ministry of Defence, reassured delegates that he remained committed to seeing Trident included in the strategic defence and security review.
That now seems unlikely. Mr Harvey focused on the longer-term goal of deferring the final ‘main gate’ decision on Trident, the “point of no return”, which is currently scheduled for late 2014 or early 2015.
Mr Harvey suggested the decision could be delayed until after the 2015 general election, a move of “profound political significance”.
Reports have lent credence to the idea that the defence secretary Liam Fox, who is staunchly in favour of a like-for-like replacement, may tolerate a short postponement until after the next election.
This would allow the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to fight that election on their different stances to the issue.
“The issue will be a hot potato for Labour,” the armed forces minister explained, arguing it would give them the “headache” of clarifying their policy on the issue.
Mr Harvey concluded: “This story ain’t over yet, it’s going to run and run.”
The motion, calling on ministers to extend the SDSR to consider “cost-saving options” and make explicit the cost of Trident replacement, was passed overwhelmingly.
