The Royal Navy

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 9:10 pm on 28 November 1983.

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Photo of Mr Patrick Duffy Mr Patrick Duffy , Sheffield, Attercliffe 9:10, 28 November 1983

I was going to deal with that later, but I shall make the point now. Given my concern about overstretch in the Department and the way in which the Navy is singled out again and again, and given the prior claims, as I and some Conservative Members see them, of other systems, especially escort vessels, it is obvious that something will have to go. One thing that will have to go is a system which duplicates another system. That is Trident.

Unlike Opposition Members, Conservative Members have failed to recognise the radical new thinking on nuclear and conventional non-nuclear strategy that is emerging within the NATO establishment itself.