MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The recently-raised safety and security concerns around the UK Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are worrying, Kate Hudson, General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) told Sputnik on Monday.
The UK Royal Navy is currently investigating the claims made by a former submariner that the security procedures at the Trident nuclear deterrent system are inadequate.
"Trident does nothing to keep us safe – it is a Cold War weapons system which encourages other states to seek nuclear weapons. When you add on top of this concerns over safety and security procedures around the Vanguard Class submarines – a very worrying picture emerges," Hudson said.
In his report, the former submariner stated that HMS Vanguard is "in the worst of the worst condition."
Hudson called on the UK government to investigate the allegations made by Engineering Technician Submariner for the Trident William McNeilly, to scrap the Trident system and to spend the 100 billion pounds ($156,5 billion) "earmarked for its replacement on public services like healthcare and education."
The United Kingdom currently operates four Trident-equipped submarines out of the Faslane area of Scotland, the only facility in the country able to accommodate the country's nuclear deterrent.
The renewal of the nuclear system was a hotly-discussed issue prior to the country's general elections on May 7. The Conservative Party the won the vote vowed to renew the Trident.
