Blair chided over need for Tory support to renew nuclear missiles
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, March 14, IRNA
UK Vote-Nuclear Weapons
Conservative leader David Cameron Wednesday chided Prime Minister Tony Blair over his dependence on the main opposition party's support to win parliamentary approval to build a new generation of nuclear arms.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's debate, Cameron uncommonly praised the prime minister and said that he agreed with him over his controversial plan to replace the country's Trident nuclear missiles.
"Replacing Britain's independent nuclear deterrent is clearly in the national interest. The decision needs to be taken now," he told Blair during prime minister's questions.
The prime minister "has the support of the Conservative Party" and could "work together in the national interest," the main opposition leader said.
He also asked Blair to stand by his position on the issue, and not give in to rebel demands to postpone the decision or come back to Parliament later to approve it.
The prime minister should give a "clear" assurance that "tonight's vote is the vote and there is no going back after tonight's vote," Cameron said.
"Will he also confirm that he will stand by his own policy and he will not appease those in his own party and the Liberal Democrats who simply want to run away from a tough decision?" he asked in reference to the dissent, including from dozens of Labour MPs.
His chiding came as Blair was seen facing the biggest rebellion since the start of the Iraq war when MPs vote on his Pnds 20 billion (Dlrs 38 bn) plan to replace the Trident system because of Labour's previous support for nuclear disarmament.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell criticized Cameron's support, saying that the last time the prime minister and leader of the Opposition voted together on a matter of national security was for the Iraq war, which was "not a very comforting precedent."
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