Only one Welsh Labour MP turned up to vote in favour of a Party of Wales-led motion in the House of Commons yesterday, (Tuesday the 20th of January) calling on the British government to do away with the Trident Nuclear Weapons system whose renewal will cost over £100bn over the coming years. 7 Welsh Labour MPs enthusiastically voted against the motion, teaming up with their Conservative and UKIP counterparts in favour of the austerity agenda.

Being one of only two European Union member states with nuclear capacity, the British State’s costly weapons system costs an average of £3bn a year to maintain, and is the relic of a bygone age, not corresponding to the needs of defence and the nature of conflict in the 21^st Century. In fact, it would be contrary to international law to deploy a nuclear weapon such as Trident.

Glenn Page, Chair of Plaid Youth, said the following: “It is shameful that Welsh Labour supports the renewal of a wasteful, useless nuclear arsenal. We live in a country where thousands depend on food banks, where over 25% of children grow up in poverty, where youth unemployment is at record levels and where not a single kilometre of electrified rail is in use.  There can be no justification for spending £100bn on weapons of mass destruction. Not least at a time of crippling austerity. Welsh Labour in London have revealed themselves as barriers to change and social justice in Wales.”

The following Labour MPs voted against the Party of Wales motion.

Wayne David  (Caerffili):

Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South and Penarth):

Ian Lucas (Wrecsam):

Madeline Moon (Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr):

Owen Smith (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Pontypridd):

Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent):

Mark Tami (Alyn a Glannau Dyfrdwy)