Oh heck, why didn't Chris Huhne listen to James Graham?

I have just borrowed my son's laptop in eager anticipation of Chris Huhne's statement on defence (can't get sound on my PC if you are wondering). Well, inexplicably I had thought he would be talking about defence. Actually he was talking about, you've guessed it, Trident! Heavens Chris, we do, I think know your position on Trident now. It goes something like - don't fudge - get rid of it - er, but not yet. Sounds strikingly like party policy? Wait and see - the only difference being that once we've waited and seen - we may need Baby Son of Trident to help ward off those rogue states - as opposed to big Trident. Hmmmm. But rogue states, (the clue is in the name) are by their very nature totally unpredictable.



So was I impressed by this latest presentation? No. Chris starts by saying he is radical and he is unafraid to be the little boy pointing out that the Emperor has no clothes. He is still banging on about Trident (he clearly didn't take James Graham's advice, unlike me!) but still hasn't explained why the little boy ran away from the clotheless Emperor when we debated Trident at conference? If this was such a defining issue for him, I ask again (til I am blue....or red (laughter please!) in the face - why oh why did he keep quiet at Spring Conference? And to bill this post as being about defence is rather stretching it - defence is a much bigger issue than just Trident and body armour in Iraq. He could have mentioned the Military Covenant, he could (as Nick has) have called for a strategic defence review, withdrawal from Iraq, fairer compensation, reform of military inquests. But no, he carries on banging on about Trident - the irony is he is trying to appeal to members like me who are against Trident without appearing to understand that it's the nuclear bit of Trident we don't like, not the big expensive bit!!!! Smacks a wee bit of desperation to me.



So Chris, maybe time to put Trident to bed? Or maybe to really demonstrate your risk taking radical credentials - and call for its immediate decommissioning? Or maybe you will risk a little girl pointing out you have no clothes!