A pro-nuclear former minister has urged the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to stick with his plans to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system. His comments are likely to fuel speculation that Brown is now doubting the policy.

Five anti-nuclear protestors who face court this week have said that they showed “exactly the same commitment” as US President Barack Obama, whose work towards “a world without nuclear weapons” won him the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, is reported to be considering a proposal to scrap a quarter of the nuclear warheads owned by the British government. The news follows pressure for cuts in the light of similar moves by the USA and Russia.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has been criticised for avoiding the issue of Trident in his speech to the Labour Party conference yesterday, despite the increasingly vocal opposition to its renewal.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to respond to growing public pressure by announcing a cut in the number of Trident nuclear submarines from four to three. Campaigners welcomed the news but insisted that the cuts must go further.

The government's plans to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system have taken another blow with a poll revealing that voters would rather scrap nuclear weapons than see public spending cuts affecting health or education.

The Prime Minister has been challenged over his allegedly inconsistent approach to nuclear weapons, following an arms reduction agreement between Russia and the USA.

As the political fallout from recent scandals continues, many are in favour of change, says Simon Barrow. But they do not necessarily want this change to make any real difference.