SNP Trident call defeated

The Scottish National Party's call for a debate over replacing Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent has been defeated in the Holyrood parliament.

SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon had led the opposition day debate, saying she spoke on behalf of the "vast majority of people in Scotland" when she opposed the replacement of the nuclear system.

The Trident fleet is based at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde in Scotland.

The UK operates four submarines carrying 16 Trident warheads, which are due to expire in 2024.

A white paper published earlier in December began a three month consultation period ahead of a Commons vote in February, with the Westminster government - which retains the final say on the matter - backing a new generation of weapons.

However Sturgeon said Trident's renewal was "morally indefensible" and would harm the cause of non-proliferation, providing a justification for non-nuclear countries to develop arms.

"We do live in an uncertain world," she said.

"But the replacement of Trident risks making the world more dangerous, not less.

"It won't help the process of disarmament and non-proliferation; it will hinder it."

She quoted an opinion poll showing 61 per cent of the Scottish public thought MSPs should have the power to decide if nuclear weapons remained on the Clyde.

But Labour's Christine May said the SNP had proposed the debate because it wanted to avoid discussing any matter within the competence of the Scottish Parliament.

Trident was a matter for Scottish MPs in London, she said, adding: "In my party we use our Westminster members to reflect our views and indeed to lead the debate.

"And I think it's illuminating to see how little impact the ineffectual, confused, whinging of their members is having that the debate is being held here."

Liberal Democrat Jim Wallace outlined his party's proposal for halving the number of nuclear warheads and extending the Trident system's lifespan to allow a final decision to wait until 2014.

Speaking of the importance of the non-proliferation treaty, he said: "I fear the headlong rush next spring to a new generation of nuclear deterrent will make that more difficult."

Conservative Bill Aitken said those arguing in favour of the SNP motion were denying the lessons of history.

"To suggest in the current climate that we should not maintain a nuclear deterrent is frankly irresponsible," he said.

The Scottish Socialist Party's Colin Fox said Tony Blair's appeal for a debate over Trident was "another sham", while the Greens' Chris Ballance said the decision to replace the arsenal would add to a "cascade of nuclear proliferation".

The SNP motion calling for a full debate was defeated, with 45 MSPs voting in favour and 77 against.