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Boyack speaks out against replacing Trident missiles

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Published Date: 20 March 2007
EDINBURGH Central Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has spoken out against replacing Trident.
She told a hustings meeting organised by Edinburgh University Students Association that she opposed the renewal of Britain's nuclear deterrent.

Ms Boyack returned to the Executive front bench as deputy environment minister in January in the mini-reshuffle that followed Malcolm Chisholm's resignation from the cabinet after he voted with the SNP against Trident.

But she told the hustings in the McEwan Hall that she also opposed the multi-billion pound replacement plan.

Ms Boyack said: "We have reduced the number of nuclear warheads in Britain. I think we could go further."

She also said last week's vote at Westminster had shown there was a large group in the Labour Party opposed to Trident replacement.

The deputy minister added: "The debate is not over. There was a vote in Parliament last week - and that will not be the last word on it."



The full article contains 161 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 20 March 2007 10:25 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Nuclear defence
 
1

Richard Lionheart,

cyberspace 20/03/2007 12:07:34

Iran is against Britain having a nuclear deterrent too.

2

Vinny,

Edinburgh 20/03/2007 12:54:52

As long as Britain is in the pocket of America, because lets face it they are going to make a small fortune with Trident, we (the people) don't matter. Big Business decides policy not the public.

3

The Judge,

20/03/2007 12:58:19

Election time already? Surely she should resign from NL if she feels that strongly about Trident & stand as an independant MSP.

4

Toast,

20/03/2007 13:01:51

Find out your MP & MSP's opinions,mine are in favour so i'll vote for someone who isn't,total waste of money that could be used to equip our conventional forces properly for peace keeping duties ,would you trust Tony [I'm always right]Blair with WMD,I'd look outside if he said it was dark !!

5

The Judge,

20/03/2007 13:14:32

#4 I asked my MSP & MP what their views on Trident were, the MSP didn't have a view & the MP resigned. I can't vote NL on May 3rd so Im stuck with the MSP who didn't have a view.

6

St pauli,

20/03/2007 13:25:56

#5 says it all really, one of the most important decisions the country has had to make in recent years and you local Lib Dem does what they do best - sits on the fence!

Fib Dems - not a view and not a clue!

7

Matt M,

Edinburgh 20/03/2007 15:23:04

Sarah Boyack doesn't run the Ministry of Defence, but I'm glad she's in the Scottish Executive/ Parliament. She deserves credit for answering honestly even if defence isn't the Scottish Exec's remit instead of just doing the Lib Dem thing and saying they don't want to make a decision at this time. We need more Ministers and MSPs like her, not less.

8

Gordon Kirk,

20/03/2007 17:53:35

Matt M listen up:

"Sarah Boyack...deserves credit for answering honestly" - NO NO NO

She wasn't honest, instead she was typical new labour - she voted for Trident in Parliament in December 2006.

What we are seeing once again is Labour finding that their London bosses' line does not work with the voters in Scotland. If she had the decency to declare her change of mind and resign from an Executive that supports Trident .. well maybe.

9

Michael McNab,

Edinburgh 21/03/2007 10:47:25

Well said, Gordon.

Friends of mine who were at that hustings said that the Trident question was very cleverly asked - the questioner said that he already knew the politicians' positions on Trident, but he wanted to know what they were going to do about it.

Greens and SNP both have proposals for Scottish laws that would stop Trident being based here. Boyack, on the other hand, just said it was a matter for Westminster - i.e. she's going to do sod all about it. Find out about her Trident voting record at http://www.scotland4peace.org/Binthebomb/lobby/MSPs/boyac...

By the way, there were about 300 people there and apparently a straw poll revealed that only 2 were in favour of new nuclear weapons - and one of them was Murdo Fraser.

10

Scots Man,

Edinburgh 21/03/2007 16:38:27

It was refreshing to see a platform of politicians from seven parties, and only one supporting trident replacement. Having said that - Sarah made it perfectly clear that despite her opposition she wasn't going to do anything about it!


 

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