Lib Dems call for UK to disentangle its nuclear deterrent from America

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey today demanded Britain disentangle its nuclear deterrent from the US - but admitted he didn't know how much it would cost to do so.

In a speech at his party's spring conference in York, Sir Ed said the UK needed a 'genuinely, verifiably' independent deterrent to replace the Trident programme.

The Trident nuclear missile system is operationally independent, meaning the Government could use the weapon should it believe it necessary.

But Sir Ed argued the American manufacture of the missiles, and the reliance on US maintenance, means the deterrent is not truly independent.

He said that Donald Trump's presidency had 'proven we can't rely on America as a dependable ally'.

Sir Ed called on the Government to develop its own maintenance programme for Trident.

He also said, in the longer-term, a fully UK-made alternative should be manufactured to replace Trident once the weapons reach the end of their lives in the 2040s.

But, quizzed in a TV interview about the potential cost of doing so, Sir Ed admitted: 'You don't know on something like this until you contract it out.'

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, the Lib Dem leader added: 'You'd the work with this scientists. Of course you'd have to do that with industry.

'But here's the point. First of all, you don't know how much an American president might decide to charge us.

'It's only one supplier - monopoly suppliers are never a good thing.

'I think if you spend that money on British scientists, British engineers, British businesses, we could build our own independent missile technology.'

Sir Ed also acknowleged it would take 'decades' to establish a fully-independent nuclear deterrent.

'That's why we have to start now,' he said. 'I'm really worried that in 10 years time, you'll have people... wringing their hands saying, 'Well, if we'd taken a decision 10 years ago, yes, we could have our own independent missile technology for our nuclear subs, but it's too late now'.

'So take the decision now.'

The Lib Dem leader argued the UK's nuclear deterrent should not be 'dependent on the mood at breakfast of the person in the Oval Office'.

'When we've got presidents in the White House like Donald Trump – totally unreliable – I don't think we can have our nuclear deterrent dependent on the mood at breakfast of the person in the Oval Office,' he said.

'I don't want us, unlike the Conservatives and Reform, to be the 51st state of America. I want us to be independent and proudly independent.

'And what we've learned from Donald Trump is, regrettably, we can't any longer depend on a reliable ally in the White House.'

Sir Ed also said the UK should not be at Mr Trump's 'beck and call' over the Iran crisis.

In another TV interview, the former Cabinet minister was asked how Britain should respond to the US President's call for the UK and other nations to send naval vessels to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran is blockading the vital sea passage out of the Persian Gulf, stemming the flow of oil and gas from the Middle East and pushing up energy prices across the globe.

'We should respond in our national interest, not because Donald Trump's asked us to go and help him,' Sir Ed told Sky News.

'We should take a decision based on our own analysis, working with our allies, both in the region, our European allies, as well as our American allies.

'But at the moment, I can't see a reason that we should go. I don't think we should be at Donald Trump's beck and call. He's got no plan. He's thrashing around.'