A member of parliament for the Scottish National Party delivered an unexpectedly convincing justification for scrapping Britain’s nuclear deterrence on Tuesday -- to keep the weapons out of the hands of "President Donald Trump."
Speaking in the House of Commons, Brendan O’Hara, MP for Argyll and Bute and the the SNP’s defence spokesperson, stated that Britain’s “independent nuclear deterrence” isn’t "all that independent" as it is unlikely any British prime minister would unleash the weapons without first appraising the White House. As such, the US president will choose how and when Britain’s nuclear arsenal is deployed.
“In reality, it will be an American US commander in chief who will ultimately decide, and in 18 months time that commander in chief could be President Donald Trump,” he said.
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Most of Britain’s nuclear stockpile is housed in Scotland, with four Vanguard class submarines based at Clyde. The SNP has long demanded the abolition of Trident, using Tuesday's parliamentary debate to bemoan the weapons system as "political ego trip" that will never be used.
The SNP debate followed Monday’s Strategic Defence and Security Review in which Prime Minister David Cameron revealed the cost of renewing the nuclear submarine programme could be as much as £40 billion over 20 years.
However, MPs overwhelmingly rejected the SNP’s motion to scrap the system, opposing its abolition by 330 votes to 64 with Defence Secretary Michael Fallon calling Trident a key "insurance policy".
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also opposes Trident, had dismissed the SNP debate as a stunt, and demanded Labour MPs stay away. Many did, though 20 defied his instruction to abstain.
Fortunately for the UK, even if Trump does win the presidency next November, the property tycoon has indicated a reluctance to destroy the world.
When asked in a recent GQ interview whether he'd be able to push the button, the Republican Party frontrunner said: “Well, I don't want to talk about that subject because that's not a subject that, you know… that has to do with that whole... I just don't want to talk about it."
The property mogul concluded that it was "highly, highly, highly, highly unlikely” he would ever “be using them."