Nicola Sturgeon signs 'Rethink Trident' statement

THE First Minister has become the latest high-profile name to sign a statement calling for plans to replace the Trident nuclear deterrent to be cancelled.

Ms Sturgeon added her name to the Rethink Trident statement, which has been organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and Compass.

The statement says: “As Britain faces the deepest public spending cuts in living memory, the country can ill-afford to be spending in excess of £100 billion on replacing Trident with a new generation of nuclear weapons.

“Britain’s security needs are not met by nuclear weapons which can do nothing to combat the threats posed by terrorism, climate change or cyber warfare.”

Ms Sturgeon joins politicians including Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbynand Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood in signing the statement.

Others opposed to Trident renewal include musician Annie Lennox, television personality Russell Brand and designer Vivienne Westwood.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I have opposed Trident and nuclear weapons for all of my political life – I even joined CND before becoming a member of the SNP.

“I have signed the Rethink Trident statement to combine the SNP’s efforts against Trident with this broad alliance of individuals and organisations calling on the UK Government to scrap its plans.

“By joining forces we can be a powerful collective voice against wasting £100 billion on Westminster’s Trident obsession.”