Tories accuse Labour and the SNP of putting ‘national security behind opportunistic political attack’ in blazing Commons Trident showdown
The Defence Secretary told MPs that the missile had passed safety tests but as he was on his feet, a US official confirmed that the botched test had taken place
SENIOR Tories have accused Labour and the SNP of putting “national security behind opportunistic political attack” in a blazing Commons showdown over Trident.
Hauled before angry MPs, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon cited national security concerns to swerve questions about a botched test of our nuclear deterrent last June.
Sir Michael said the British submarine and her crew passed the test perfectly but he would not be drawn on what happened to the US built missile.
And he hit out at opposition MPs for risking our country’s safety with claims of a “cover up.”
The top Tory said he “disagreed with calls for great transparency” and said “there are very few things that we cannot discuss openly on the floor of this House - but this is one of them.”
And while he said he would not “comment on the detail of submarine operations” he assured MPs that the “capability and effectiveness of nuclear deterrent is not in doubt.”
“The Government has absolute confidence in our deterrent and in the Royal Navy crews who protect us,” he told MPs.
He claimed the test “concludes each time with an unarmed missile firing”, adding: “HMS Vengeance successfully concluded that shakedown operation.”
But despite repeated questions on what happened to the missile, Sir Michael stonewalled.
It was revealed over the weekend that a Trident II D5 missile – capable of killing millions when fitted with a nuclear warhead – had malfunctioned after being launched from a submarine off the coast of Florida in June last year.
Shedding further light on the the incident, the US network revealed: “The official said the missile was diverted into the ocean to self-destruct -- an automatic procedure when missile electronics detect an anomaly.
But Tory MPs rounded on the opposition, accusing them of putting “national security behind an opportunistic political attack.”
Tory grandee Sir Nicolas Soames said there was no evidence of “system failure” in our “deadly and reliable” nuclear arsenal.
Ex-Justice Secretary Michael Gove said anti-Trident campaigners were behaving like “eunuchs complaining about the price of Viagra”.
And former Defence Minister Sir Gerald Howarth added: “160 successful firings of this missile, which should reassure the British people more than the prospect of the Leader of the Opposition having his finger on that button.”
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But Tory MP Johnny Mercer, himself a former soldier, has hit out at claims of a cover up, saying: “Parliament is sometimes not the place to air security issues.”
The ex-Royal Artillery Captain told The Sun: “what was debated last summer was policy, not technical.”
“To wilfully merge the two in order to set up a political attack on either Michael Fallon or the Prime Minister is embarrassing.”
“It highlights how Parliament is sometimes not the place to air security issues amongst those who are willing to put national security behind an opportunistic political attack on an opponent.”
Last night the PM said that she had been briefed that the operation was successful, allowing Vengeance and its crew to return to service.
Meanwhile senior Tory backbencher Julian Lewis broke ranks and blamed ex-PM David Cameron for the “veil of secrecy” over the botched test - and said his aides should be sacked, were they still in their jobs.
Yesterday Labour's Admiral Lord West said: “The decision to withhold news last summer that a Trident missile test experienced some kind of problem is spectacularly stupid."
Meanwhile senior Tory backbencher Julian Lewis broke ranks and blamed ex-PM David Cameron for the “veil of secrecy” over the botched test — and said his aides should be sacked, were they still in their jobs.
The Defence Select Committee chairman urged the Government to be frank about what happened and invited Sir Michael Fallon to appear before his committeee tomorrow.
When he declined, the Speaker of the House John Bercow was heard camera saying it was “stupid” to pick a fight with the senior MP.
Yesterday Labour called an Urgent Question on the matter forcing the Defence Secretary to come to the Commons to launch a passionate defence of our nuclear deterrent.
Labour peer Admiral Lord West said: “The decision to withhold news last summer that a Trident missile test experienced some kind of problem is spectacularly stupid.”
But furious Tory rising star Johnny Mercer has hit back, claiming Lord West “knows better than that”.
The Plymouth MP added: “Weapons malfunction; they shouldn’t but they do - and when they do we must redouble our efforts to eliminate error.”
Fellow former Army Officer turned Tory MP Tom Tugendhat told The Sun: “The nuclear deterrent is the most complex thing made by man in history.
“Combining underwater and space technologies it achieves 98 per cent effectiveness in testing and is not deployed until that hits 100 per cent on operations.
“Pushing the Prime Minister to make public information that would only help enemies is playing politics with the defence of the realm and demonstrates why Labour and the SNP cannot be trusted on defence.”