£20bn Trident useless, says military chief

BRITAIN'S Trident nuclear deterrent is "completely useless" and its £20 billion cost would be better spent on conventional weapons, former military chiefs said today.

In an attack on Labour's decision to renew the nuclear system, the former head of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal Lord Bramall, said Trident was neither independent nor effective in coping with terror threats. He added that huge sums being used to replace the ageing submarines that carry the ballistic missiles could be better spent on warplanes, ships, tanks and weapons desperately needed by the Armed Forces.

Lord Bramall, with retired Army generals Lord Ramsbotham and Sir Hugh Beach, wants to restart the debate over Trident's renewal, approved by the Commons in March 2007 despite a large rebellion by Labour MPs.

Lord Ramsbotham, who was "quite certain" his doubts are shared by some serving military chiefs, called Trident a "Cold War weapon".