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| Academics protest against Trident | Academics protest against Trident |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An international group of academics is staging a protest against weapons of mass destruction at the gates of the Faslane submarine base on the Clyde. | |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans late last year to upgrade Trident at a cost of up to £20bn. | Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans late last year to upgrade Trident at a cost of up to £20bn. |
| The move forced one Scottish Executive minister to resign and a BBC survey found a majority of Scottish MPs opposed replacing the missile system. | The move forced one Scottish Executive minister to resign and a BBC survey found a majority of Scottish MPs opposed replacing the missile system. |
| But community leaders say the jobs from the base are vital to the area. | But community leaders say the jobs from the base are vital to the area. |
| A delegation of students, from Oxford, Cambridge, Sussex and Edinburgh, have also been camping out at the naval base. | A delegation of students, from Oxford, Cambridge, Sussex and Edinburgh, have also been camping out at the naval base. |
| Nuclear weapons are not peaceful and go against international law Anne-Marie O'ReillyOxford graduate | Nuclear weapons are not peaceful and go against international law Anne-Marie O'ReillyOxford graduate |
| They were joined by the academics on Sunday to protest and stage a blockade. | They were joined by the academics on Sunday to protest and stage a blockade. |
| Anne-Marie O'Reilly, 22, an Oxford graduate, said she hoped the weekend's activities would make the government sit up and take notice. | Anne-Marie O'Reilly, 22, an Oxford graduate, said she hoped the weekend's activities would make the government sit up and take notice. |
| She said: "It is a really important issue, that we have got nuclear weapons, because by the end of this year the government wants to spend at least another £20bn on them. | She said: "It is a really important issue, that we have got nuclear weapons, because by the end of this year the government wants to spend at least another £20bn on them. |
| "Hopefully our voices will be heard and they will see that nuclear weapons are not peaceful and go against international law." | "Hopefully our voices will be heard and they will see that nuclear weapons are not peaceful and go against international law." |
| The demonstrators have pledged to keep a presence at the site for a full year. | The demonstrators have pledged to keep a presence at the site for a full year. |
| Professor Lynn Jamieson, from Edinburgh University, said: "It's a very momentous time at the moment, deciding to try and commit Britain to nuclear weapons until the middle of this century and building a new system, so I feel it's time to be counted in whatever way possible." | Professor Lynn Jamieson, from Edinburgh University, said: "It's a very momentous time at the moment, deciding to try and commit Britain to nuclear weapons until the middle of this century and building a new system, so I feel it's time to be counted in whatever way possible." |
| TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works | TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works |
| The protests come as the Roman Catholic Church re-iterates its opposition to the renewal of Trident. | The protests come as the Roman Catholic Church re-iterates its opposition to the renewal of Trident. |
| A pastoral letter to be read out at all Masses in Scotland from Bishop Peter Moran, the Bishop of Aberdeen, warns that violence comes in many forms, including in people's attitudes. | A pastoral letter to be read out at all Masses in Scotland from Bishop Peter Moran, the Bishop of Aberdeen, warns that violence comes in many forms, including in people's attitudes. |
| The letter states: "We are all aware of the suicide bombs, the revenge-driven attacks, the indiscriminate slaughter, the wholesale devastation. We can see violence breeding violence. | The letter states: "We are all aware of the suicide bombs, the revenge-driven attacks, the indiscriminate slaughter, the wholesale devastation. We can see violence breeding violence. |
| "Yet people who would never consider such barbarous behaviour, people who long for peace just as we do, are still prepared to threaten death and devastation, out of fear. | "Yet people who would never consider such barbarous behaviour, people who long for peace just as we do, are still prepared to threaten death and devastation, out of fear. |
| "The world's most powerful governments, including our own, seem determined to base our security on having nuclear weapons available." | "The world's most powerful governments, including our own, seem determined to base our security on having nuclear weapons available." |
| The letter urges Catholics to contact their MPs and make their views and the views of the Church known. | The letter urges Catholics to contact their MPs and make their views and the views of the Church known. |
| However, Dumbarton Labour MSP Jackie Baillie insists that Faslane jobs are vital to the area. | However, Dumbarton Labour MSP Jackie Baillie insists that Faslane jobs are vital to the area. |
| She claims that 7,000 people work directly at the base, with another 4,000 jobs dependent on it locally. | She claims that 7,000 people work directly at the base, with another 4,000 jobs dependent on it locally. |
| Last month Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm resigned from his post after voting with the Scottish National Party in a debate on Trident. | Last month Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm resigned from his post after voting with the Scottish National Party in a debate on Trident. |