Iran
Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is planning to respond in person to intensifying international pressure over his country’s controversial nuclear programme by taking his case directly to the United Nations security council in New York, it emerged yesterday.
Guardian 12th March 2007
Trident
A senior government minister urged party members on Sunday to support Prime Minister Tony Blair’s plans to renew Britain’s nuclear arsenal. Parliament votes later this week on a proposal to buy up to four new nuclear-armed submarines for as much as 20 billion pounds. “I shall be voting for the right thing to do on Wednesday because I think in the differently dangerous world in which we live now it doesn’t make sense for us to give up our nuclear weapons,” Hilary Benn, Britain’s international development minister, told Sky television.
Reuters 11th March 2007
Letter from David Lowry: In his article “Rushing towards disaster with Son of Trident” (Opinion, 8 March), George Kerevan rightly identifies some of the more egregious errors in ministers’ arguments in support of replacing Trident. But he does not address an additional complexity posed by a Trident replacement: that of our international legal obligations.
Scotsman 12th March 2007
Defence Secretary Des Browne said on Sunday he was confident the government would win over rebellious legislators as pressure mounted before a vote on plans to renew the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Reuters 11th March 2007
Letter from Richard Dawkins: Mikhail Gorbachev (letter, March 8 ), though unfortunately no longer in power, is one of few living politicians who merits the elevated title of statesman. Is it too much to hope that his wisdom will be heeded? Apparently yes, to judge by Margaret Beckett’s letter of reply (March 10 ).
Times 12th March 2007
A metaphorical mushroom cloud will hang over Westminster this week. On Wednesday, the House of Commons will debate whether Britain should breach the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and buff up our stockpile of weapons of mass destruction for another generation. Already, one government frontbencher has announced he will resign, and a majority of Labour backbenchers in a BBC survey have declared they will rebel.
Independent 12th March 2007
Tony Blair will face the embarrassment of relying on Conservative support to drive through plans to renew Britain’s nuclear weapons system. Labour’s majority will be demolished if more than 60 Labour MPs hold firm to their threat to vote against proposals to update Trident missiles and the submarine fleet that carries them. The Labour hierarchy is also bracing itself for the resignation of Nigel Griffiths, an ally of Gordon Brown, as a minister over the Trident. He told constituents last week that he would vote with his conscience on the issue and he expected to lose his post as Deputy Leader of the Commons as a result.
Independent 12th March 2007
Guardian 12th March 2007
A Minister says he expects to leave the Government this week in the row over Trident, as a poll showed that almost two-thirds of Labour backbenchers are against replacing the nuclear deterrent. Nigel Griffiths, the Deputy Leader of the Commons, told a meeting of his constituents last week that he would not back plans to renew the ageing nuclear weapons system. Mr Griffiths could not be contacted last night but people at the meeting said he told them he expected to lose his job.
Telegraph 12th March 2007
Utilities
Europe’s energy giants are facing the threat of new competition and tougher regulation, after last week’s Brussels summit gave unexpectedly strong backing to a shake-up of the sector.
FT 12th March 2007
Sellafield
The security firm Group 4 Securicor has emerged as a surprising bidder in the Government’s plan to privatise Sellafield, one of the world’s most complex nuclear sites which is in Cumbria. Seven groups have submitted pre-qualification questionnaires to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The unions Amicus and Prospect expressed surprise Group 4 was on the list. The company, which has full-year results tomorrow, has been criticised for its record on running prisons. However, the company does have some experience in the nuclear sector. Group 4 owns Wackenhut, a security contractor at a number of American nuclear sites. Several consortia have also formally approached the NDA about buying Sellafield. One is made up of Britain’s Amec, Areva of France and America’s Washington Group. Another consortia includes Serco plus Bechtel and BWX Technologies of the US. Babcock International is also on the list, as is Fluor, EnergySolutions and CH2M Hill.
Telegraph 12th March 2007
