Trident renewal plans 'need more scrutiny', SNP says

Prime Minister Theresa May has been urged to delay Monday's vote on Trident renewal to allow "proper scrutiny".

The SNP's Westminster leader Angus Robertson said it was "one of the most important decisions parliament will ever take." He also said MPs must have access to the full costs of renewal before they can come to an informed view.

Thousands of people attended demonstrations across Scotland on Saturday

Former prime minister David Cameron said Trident was an "essential deterrent" to Britain's security.
The SNP will vote to reject the renewal of Trident.

While the majority of Labour MPs are expected to vote in favour of Trident renewal, Scottish Labour party delegates overwhelmingly backed a vote to scrap the UK's Trident nuclear missile system at their conference last year.

• A guide to Trident
• How important are UK's nuclear weapons?

Mr Robertson said: "Trident is an immoral, obscene and redundant weapons system and the decision on whether to renew it is one of the most important votes this parliament will ever take.

"Over the last few weeks we have witnessed unprecedented political turmoil, as the entire Westminster system was shown to be completely unprepared for the prospect of a Brexit vote.

"Having spent the best part of a month engaged in backstabbing, score-settling and navel-gazing, neither the Tories nor Labour are in any fit state to be giving proper scrutiny to decisions as important as this."