Trident to be delayed for up to 5 years

David Cameron is set to announce that Britain will delay replacing the submarines that can launch Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent by between three to five years in a move that significantly cuts capital costs of Trident over the next decade.

In an announcement that will be warmly greeted by Mr Cameron’s Liberal Democrat coalition partners, the prime minister is to say that there will be a bigger-than-expected delay in replacing the current fleet of Vanguard submarines – and that the move will not jeopardise round-the-clock deterrence.

However, the move is certain to arouse anger among some Conservative MPs and Ministry of Defence officials, who will fear that a delay of this length will undermine its effectiveness as a deterrent.

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