Trident Petition

Scotland's churches are launching a joint petition urging the UK Government not to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system. The Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church will sign the document in Edinburgh.

The petition will also call for money for Trident's replacement to be diverted towards aid and development.

Four Trident nuclear submarines are based at Faslane on the Clyde as part of Britain's nuclear deterent. The Commons defence committee is examining whether the UK should replace Trident, which is expected to be obsolete by 2020.

Scotland's most senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, is to be the first signatory.