KEY POINTS:
LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to defy anti-nuclear members of his Labour Party on Tuesday by committing to a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines but promising to cut Britain's nuclear warheads.
Blair will announce the government's decision on the future of Britain's nuclear deterrent to parliament on Tuesday afternoon after the cabinet signs off on the policy at a special meeting in the morning.
Blair will opt for a new generation of nuclear ballistic-missile submarines at a cost of up to 20 billion pounds (NZ$57 billion), several newspapers reported.
But in a concession to anti-nuclear members of his party, who see renewing Britain's nuclear arsenal as unnecessary and a waste of money, Blair is expected to say the government will consider cutting the nuclear submarine fleet from four to three.
He will also pledge to cut Britain's operational nuclear warheads by a fifth to about 160, The Sun and the Guardian newspapers said on Monday.
Blair's office declined comment on the nuclear decision.
Britain's nuclear defence consists of Trident missiles carried aboard four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines, but it will reach the end of its life in 2024. The government says it must decide now on replacing Trident because of the time needed to design and build new submarines.
However, Blair faces a battle convincing some in his own party that there is a need for a costly new nuclear deterrent now the Cold War has ended.
Blair's announcement and the publication of a policy document will signal the start of weeks of heated debate, culminating in a parliamentary vote early next year.
Blair is expected to be able to win the vote with the support of the opposition Conservatives despite signs of a growing Labour rebellion.
Labour member of parliament Peter Kilfoyle told BBC radio on Sunday that Trident was "designed for the Cold War and it is not necessarily appropriate in the future."
Former interior minister Charles Clarke also voiced scepticism last week about the case for replacing Trident.
Some in Labour say Blair is trying to rush through a decision before he steps down next year.
The issue is sensitive for Labour, which was committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament until former leader Neil Kinnock scrapped the pledge in the late 1980s.
In recent weeks, government officials have said terrorist groups are seeking the know-how for nuclear attacks against Britain. They say there is also a growing threat from states in unstable regions.
North Korea recently carried out a nuclear test and the West accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, although Tehran denies it.
Nuclear weapons opponents say the money could be better spent on public services, or by improving Britain's conventional or counter-terrorism forces.
- REUTERS
