Coalition Delay Decision on Trident Beyond 2015?

James Lansdale has reported this evening on the BBC website and 10 o'clock news that Ministers are considering putting back the 'Main Gate' decision on renewing Trident beyond the current date of 2014.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11321861

Reports are that Ministers are considering delaying the decision to beyond 2015 - when the next general election will be held.

A replacement for Trident could cost £20bn and delaying the decision could save billions in the short-term at a time when the Coalition Government are considering how they're going to fill the £155bn financial void that Labour bequeathed the nation.

There is also of course, a political dimension as well as a financial one to such a possible decision. The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats disagree on the very question of renewing Trident. It was one of the issues of disagreement that was not resolved in the coalition document.

We happen to be 2 days away from the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool where will there no doubt, be a number of murmerings against Government policy. Suddenly, there may be some political room for manouevere between the two parties if the decision is put back for the next government to take.

Members such as myself who do not agree with renewing Trident, will go to Liverpool with the hope that these rumours are well founded.