The British parliament voted on Wednesday to renew its nuclear weapons system by 409 votes to 161.

After a six-hour debate in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Tony Blair's government won with a majority of 248 and will this spend up to £20 billion (about US$38 billion) to replace the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent with a set of cutting-edge nuclear missile submarines.

According to Sky News, around 85 Labor MPs rebelled against the vote. Unsurprisingly, given the deep rift within the Labor Party, two government officials -- deputy leader of the House of Commons Nigel Griffiths and ministerial aide Jim Devine – resigned their posts over the issue.

Ahead of the vote, a further body blow had been dealt to the government when two more MPs Stephen Pound and Chris Ruane resigned as ministerial aides, due to their opposing the Trident renewal.

The Conservatives handed the government a victory by backing the proposals, after the rebel Labour MPs had sided with the Liberal Democrats and other minority parties.

However, this victory will hardly make Blairites ebullient since this dependence on the Conservatives is certain to be exploited by the opposition during the next general election, ahead of which Labour already trail the Conservatives in the polls. 

The Guardian reported last-ditch efforts by senior government figures, including Tony Blair and supposed successor Gordon Brown, to minimize the rebellion given growing dissent above expected whip-counts.

The rebellion grew from young members like Stephen Pound and spread to older veterans like Roy Hattersley who outlined how he had once supported the creation of the nuclear deterrent but now stood opposed to it for the same reasons. Their argument is based on the fact that the world is no longer engulfed in the Cold War and that nuclear weapons provide an antiquated and ineffective method of defense.

On Wednesday, Blair said during Prime Minister's Question Time that Britain had to maintain an independent nuclear deterrent, adding that work should start immediately after a 17 year gap in bringing in the new systems.

Last December, Blair stated that it would be "unwise and dangerous" for Britain to give up its nuclear weapons in an uncertain world.

He outlined plans for Britain to design and build a new fleet of nuclear missile submarines, whilst depleting Britain's stock of nuclear warheads from 200 to 160.

According to the White Paper on the nuclear deterrent -- The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent -- published last December, replacing the existing submarines and extending the life of the Trident missiles was still Britain's best hope at deterring future nuclear threats to Britain, in terms of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Britain has always had an operational nuclear deterrent since 1956. As it stands, Britain relies on a naval nuclear weapons system: the Trident D5 missile located aboard four Vanguard class submarines.

(Xinhua News Agency, China.org.cn, March 15, 2007)