Fears over Trident vote

Christian anti-nuclear groups in the Oxford diocese have expressed disappointment at the Government’s vote to renew the UK Trident missile system.

Oxford’s Canon David Partridge, of CANA (Clergy Against Nuclear Arms), joined a vigil in Parliament Square during the House of Commons debate on 14 March.

Protestors hoped that a rebellion by Labour backbenchers, including Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, would defeat plans to spend more than £20bn on a new generation of nuclear weapons. Conservative backing, however, pushed through the proposals.

Ministers argue that renewing Trident is essential for the UK’s security, and say that as the current system’s components near the end of  their working lives in the 2020s a decision on renewal must be made now to allow time for developing new weapons.

Protestors such as CANA say there is no place for a nuclear arsenal in today’s world.

Days before the Government vote the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading showed his support for campaigners by taking the eucharist at a service outside the gates of the Faslane nuclear submarine base, where clergy and laity have been holding peaceful protests.

He later told the DOOR: ‘I simply believe that nuclear weapons are wrong. This has become one of those defining issues where each of us according to our understanding of the Gospel, has to make a call about how we live our life. I feel that I couldn’t look myself in the mirror, nor carry on speaking about the hope and peace that I find in Christ, if I remained silent about it.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury has also spoken out strongly against upgrading Trident. In February’s General Synod Trident debate he said he does not believe there is a case for the moral acceptability of nuclear weapons.

However, the Rt Revd Michael Nazir Ali, Bishop of Rochester, is in favour of retaining a minimum nuclear deterrent. He is quoted as saying that he believed ‘Trident was a small price to pay for the security on which many other social goods depended’.

Synod’s final resolution, was against the upgrading and called on Christian people to make an informed contribution to the issues raised in the report ‘The Future of Trident’ in the light of Christian teaching about Just War.

Mr Partridge believes that the recent parliamentary debate will have increased public awareness of the nuclear issue, and that with greater public pressure there is still a chance for the decision to be overturned.

He said: ‘Nuclear armament has been a sleeping giant in the public consciousness for a number of years, but this debate and increased media attention is waking people to the enormity of the dangers facing us. CANA will definitely keep campaigning and believe we will now be joined by many others.’

Robin Baker from the Well Community at Willen is a spokesman for the Bucks (MK) campaign group, which  also protested at Faslane recently. He said: ‘We are utterly opposed to the replacement of a weapon which cannot be morally or logically used. The campaign will continue’.