The full £20bn cost of renewing the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent must be paid for by the Ministry of Defence, George Osborne has said.

Traditionally, the Treasury has always found the money for the submarines.

The chancellor’s comments come as Defence Secretary Liam Fox warned it would be “very difficult” to maintain other MoD projects if more than half its budget went on funding Trident.

BBC’s Jonathan Beale said Mr Osborne risked igniting a political row.

The remarks come as the MoD is having to contemplate cuts in its budget of between 10% and 20%.

…more at the BBC

Reader comments

1. Liberal Conspiracy

   Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it http://bit.ly/93IypD

2. Dave Harris

   Cat, meet the pigeons RT @libcon Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it http://bit.ly/93IypD

3. Emma Just Emma

   Lets just scrap it and spend defence money more efficiently. RT @libcon: Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it http://bit.ly/93IypD

4. Gareth Winchester

   RT @libcon Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it http://bit.ly/bS7Vqh <- How to scrap summat while giving the impression otherwise…

5. Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it | Liberal Conspiracy : Best Mod . com

   [...] The chancellor’s comments come as Defence Secretary Liam Fox warned it would be “very difficult” to maintain other MoD projects if more than half its budget went on funding Trident. See original here: Trident spending axed as MOD will pay for it | Liberal Conspiracy [...]