Lobby ship unions over Trident, Philip Hammond tells ministers

Philip Hammond has told his defence ministers to privately lobby the shipbuilding unions because of concern within government that Labour MPs are turning against Ed Miliband's decision to back plans to replace the Trident nuclear deterrent.

According to a number of Westminster sources, the defence secretary decided to make the unusual move after junior ministers warned him that parliamentary support for the £80bn Trident renewal was beginning to ebb, particularly on the Labour backbenches.

Senior Tory MPs have recently voiced doubts about the wisdom of replacing Trident and the Liberal Democrats are committed to finding alternatives.

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