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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Sir Menzies wins vote on Trident | Sir Menzies wins vote on Trident |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A personal appeal by Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell has helped him win a narrow victory over Trident rebels at his party's spring conference. | A personal appeal by Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell has helped him win a narrow victory over Trident rebels at his party's spring conference. |
| Sir Menzies appeared on stage to defend his policy of delaying a decision on replacing Britain's nuclear weapons. | Sir Menzies appeared on stage to defend his policy of delaying a decision on replacing Britain's nuclear weapons. |
| Opponents, including some of his own MPs, wanted Trident to be scrapped when it reaches the end of its life. | Opponents, including some of his own MPs, wanted Trident to be scrapped when it reaches the end of its life. |
| Sir Menzies wants the number of warheads cut by 50% now, but a decision on replacing them delayed to 2014. | |
| He won the vote by 454 votes to 414, after an initial show of hands had been too close to call. | He won the vote by 454 votes to 414, after an initial show of hands had been too close to call. |
| The result will come as a boost to the Lib Dem leader, who has faced questions about his style of leadership | The result will come as a boost to the Lib Dem leader, who has faced questions about his style of leadership |
| Party managers said afterwards that Trident rebels would probably have won without his intervention. | |
| Sir Menzies, who had not been due to speak, was called to the stage in Harrogate - to the evident surprise of many delegates - to deny he was "sitting on the fence". | |
| In an impassioned speech, he argued that his policy of cutting the number of missiles by half while leading global disarmament talks was the only "rational" approach. | |
| And he said Lib Dem MPs would be voting against government plans to renew Trident whatever happened. | And he said Lib Dem MPs would be voting against government plans to renew Trident whatever happened. |
| "I only know one way to lead and that is from the front," he told delegates. | "I only know one way to lead and that is from the front," he told delegates. |
| Status quo | Status quo |
| But, far from backing nuclear weapons, his proposals were about disarmament and "about cutting Trident by half now". | But, far from backing nuclear weapons, his proposals were about disarmament and "about cutting Trident by half now". |
| The rebel amendment, on the other hand, would see Britain keeping Trident until it reached the end of its useful life, before scrapping it. | The rebel amendment, on the other hand, would see Britain keeping Trident until it reached the end of its useful life, before scrapping it. |
| "What on earth is radical about preserving the status quo?" Sir Menzies asked delegates. | "What on earth is radical about preserving the status quo?" Sir Menzies asked delegates. |
| He said government plans to renew Trident, at a cost of £65bn, were part of a "desperate attempt" by Tony Blair to "shore up his own legacy". | He said government plans to renew Trident, at a cost of £65bn, were part of a "desperate attempt" by Tony Blair to "shore up his own legacy". |
| And he said Liberal Democrats would not "fall into Blair's trap under any circumstances". | And he said Liberal Democrats would not "fall into Blair's trap under any circumstances". |
| Revolt | Revolt |
| Cancelling the replacement for Trident now would do nothing to help the cause of disarmament around the world, he argued. | Cancelling the replacement for Trident now would do nothing to help the cause of disarmament around the world, he argued. |
| But his proposals were a "rational and perceptive response" to the situation, which would give Britain influence in non-proliferation talks. | But his proposals were a "rational and perceptive response" to the situation, which would give Britain influence in non-proliferation talks. |
| Sir Menzies was backed by frontbench colleagues Simon Hughes and defence spokesman Nick Harvey, who both spoke in favour of his proposals. | Sir Menzies was backed by frontbench colleagues Simon Hughes and defence spokesman Nick Harvey, who both spoke in favour of his proposals. |
| Speaking afterwards, a clearly relieved Sir Menzies said he was "obviously pleased" with the result, as he believed it was the "right policy". | Speaking afterwards, a clearly relieved Sir Menzies said he was "obviously pleased" with the result, as he believed it was the "right policy". |
| He told BBC News 24 it was an "indication of the maturity of the party that we could have that debate," something he claimed would not have happened at a Labour or Tory conference. | He told BBC News 24 it was an "indication of the maturity of the party that we could have that debate," something he claimed would not have happened at a Labour or Tory conference. |
| He said that by "by 2014 we will have a much better idea of the strategic environment and whether nuclear weapons are still necessary," with potential threats from countries such as Iran and North Korea. | He said that by "by 2014 we will have a much better idea of the strategic environment and whether nuclear weapons are still necessary," with potential threats from countries such as Iran and North Korea. |
| The revolt against the official party line was led by senior MP and former frontbench spokesman Phil Willis. | The revolt against the official party line was led by senior MP and former frontbench spokesman Phil Willis. |
| He said the "wait and see" approach would discredit the party, encourage proliferation and tie the UK into US foreign policy. | He said the "wait and see" approach would discredit the party, encourage proliferation and tie the UK into US foreign policy. |
| 'No turning back' | 'No turning back' |
| And he attacked as "pure misrepresentation", the leadership's claims that the amendment would result in Britain keeping Trident for 20 years. | And he attacked as "pure misrepresentation", the leadership's claims that the amendment would result in Britain keeping Trident for 20 years. |
| "What are we waiting for?" he asked activists. "Blair is making the decision not in four years' time or five years' time; he is making the decision this month. | "What are we waiting for?" he asked activists. "Blair is making the decision not in four years' time or five years' time; he is making the decision this month. |
| "And once this multi-million pound programme is embarked on there will be no turning back. | "And once this multi-million pound programme is embarked on there will be no turning back. |
| "Postponing a decision sends out a clear signal, that our party is prepared to support new improved weapons of mass destruction some time in the future. Is that what this conference wants? | "Postponing a decision sends out a clear signal, that our party is prepared to support new improved weapons of mass destruction some time in the future. Is that what this conference wants? |
| "If the Liberal Democrats are to be relevant, we must be prepared to be different. | "If the Liberal Democrats are to be relevant, we must be prepared to be different. |
| "Waiting will not make nuclear weapons less dangerous, nor will it make them more ethical. | "Waiting will not make nuclear weapons less dangerous, nor will it make them more ethical. |
| "Waiting will not kick start disarmament, it will encourage proliferation. | "Waiting will not kick start disarmament, it will encourage proliferation. |
| "Waiting will not help influence rogue states to give up their nuclear ambitions; why should they respond to a policy of 'do as I say not as I do?' |