How Ministers lied about Trident weapons systems and misled Parliament

Hypocrisy and lies about the UK nuclear arsenal is stock in trade. This time the perpetrators of the lies have been caught with their trousers down, thanks to CND.

David Gould, ****then (since 2004) chief operating officer at the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation (previously CEO of the hopelessly incompetent Defence Procurement Agency which preceded DESO) made a speech to what the MOD describe as , "200 very senior representatives of industry" on 27th June 2007 at a conference, chillingly entuitled "Future Deterrence industry Day."

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have finally obtained under a Freedom of Information request notes of his speech that day the the cream of the global military industrial complex. Originally redacted they have now been revealed to show that ""The intention is to replace the entire Vanguard Class submarine system. Including the warhead and missile."

This may not be a surprise to many people but it shows the Government have quite deliberately misled Parliament.

Whilst the Commons voted last year to replace the submarines that carry the UK's nuclear warheads on Trident missiles, the White Paper and repeated ministerial statements since then have claimed that no decision would be taken on replacing the explosive warheads themselves until the next Parliament, expected to be 2010 at the earliest.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: "This document destroys any remaining credibility in the Government's claim that it has not yet made a decision on new nuclear warheads. Staffing at the Atomic Weapons Establishment has grown by a third in the last five years, with billions spent on new facilities, yet throughout this the Government has been telling MPs and the public that it would be years before any decision was needed. It is a disgrace that the MoD is secretly telling the defence industry one thing, whilst Ministers are saying quite the opposite to Parliament."

She continued, "The explosive warheads are the destructive core of the UK's nuclear weapons system. But they are also at the political core of the issue. Building newer, potentially more advanced warheads will breach our commitment to disarm under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and will send out a destabilising and hypocritical message to other states, both with and currently without such weapons. A decision to go ahead with new warheads will have a much greater impact than the plan for new submarines, which merely provide the launch platform for these terrible weapons."

The Atomic Weapons Establishment has seen huge investment over recent years, with staffing growing by a third and capital costs going from £24m in 2000/1 to £420 in 2007/8. In the next three years £1750m is budgeted for investment there, the vast majority coming from the MoD main budget. There careers section on the website boasts .."With over 4,500 employees and more than 2,000 contractors based at two neighbouring sites"

AWE also have fascinating ways of introducing children to their deadly business .. a recent Press Release ."13/06/08 AWE’s SCIENCE COMPETITION IS A BIG HIT WITH CHALK RIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL Basingstoke Ever wondered what life is like on another planet? This was the ethos behind an AWE competition for 10 and 11-year-olds to come up with a blueprint for an extraordinary planet, encouraging youngsters to explore the fun, adventurous side of science and technology...

Curiously nothing about designing, making, building, new superior targetting nuclear wardheads.

With the current state of the art,a single submarine on patrol will be prepared to launch an attack with all its 14 missiles and 48 nuclear warheads - targetted on Moscow this will kill 3 million people.(see here) Please don't tell the kids at Chalk Ridge Primary that.***

So, whilst the craven Prime Minister can speak to the Israeli parliament , boasting on our behalf ..." the UK will continue to lead - with the US and our EU partners - in our determination to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapons programme," he , a well known enthusiast for Trident, has already decided to press on with the UK arming with even more lethal nuclear warheads ... and lying to Parliament about it.

**** David Gould speaks fluent French and Italian, has homes in Bath and Puglia, is a keen member of the Avon and tributaries Angling Association, the Morgan Sports Car Club, and is a passionate supporter of Bath Rugby.

David Gould Consultants Limited have a website on which you can view a video of David talking about How Defence Industrial Strategy will be delivered. Fascinating.

*** Mrs Shave , Headteacher has a school poem...This poem by Dorothy Lawe Holte reflects the school’s philosophy and underpins everything that our school strives towards.

'A LIFE IN YOUR HANDS'
If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
He learns to find love in the world.