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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dem peer would take Brown job | Lib Dem peer would take Brown job |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams has said she is willing to be Gordon Brown's nuclear proliferation adviser "subject to conditions". | Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams has said she is willing to be Gordon Brown's nuclear proliferation adviser "subject to conditions". |
| She told the BBC she would accept the prime minister's offer, as long as she is allowed to retain her independence. | She told the BBC she would accept the prime minister's offer, as long as she is allowed to retain her independence. |
| She also said she wanted the "right to criticise government policy". | She also said she wanted the "right to criticise government policy". |
| Mr Brown has pledged to "reach out beyond narrow party interest" but was rejected when he offered former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown a Cabinet post. | Mr Brown has pledged to "reach out beyond narrow party interest" but was rejected when he offered former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown a Cabinet post. |
| Baroness Williams, who left Labour in the early 1980s as one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party, has said at no stage was she offered a ministerial post. | Baroness Williams, who left Labour in the early 1980s as one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party, has said at no stage was she offered a ministerial post. |
| Talking on BBC News 24's "Straight Talk With Andrew Neil", Lady Williams said she backed calls for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons. | Talking on BBC News 24's "Straight Talk With Andrew Neil", Lady Williams said she backed calls for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons. |
| And she said there needed to be "a clear commitment by the nuclear powers that they'll move towards a substantial reduction". | And she said there needed to be "a clear commitment by the nuclear powers that they'll move towards a substantial reduction". |
| Britain's Trident missile system and the Vanguard submarines which carry them need replacing by 2024. | Britain's Trident missile system and the Vanguard submarines which carry them need replacing by 2024. |
| Mr Brown angered some Labour MPs last year by signalling he wanted to replace Britain's "independent nuclear deterrent". | Mr Brown angered some Labour MPs last year by signalling he wanted to replace Britain's "independent nuclear deterrent". |
| In March the government won MPs support to renew Trident, despite a large Labour rebellion and Lib Dem opposition. Tony Blair argued that it was "essential for our security in an uncertain world". | |
| The Lib Dems wanted to delay a decision on replacing Trident until at least 2012. |