The Trident ‘deterrent’ is a £100 billion bad joke when Israel now has a nuclear­-armed, state­-of­-the­-art, fleet of submarines that could already blow Britain out of the water with its dangerous second -strike capability.

Secretary Michael Fallon, with his plan that could only materialise in 20 years, knows full well that Britain must now rely on the United States for its nuclear defence, ­ only no Conservative government will admit it.

Britain is a NATO signatory to the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and subject to inspection by the IAEA, whilst Israel is one of the only UN members that refuses to sign either and is, (together with North Korea and Pakistan), a global nuclear threat that Britain is completely powerless to confront.

A plan to expend £100 billion for a replacement nuclear deterrent that will not be available until 2035, is £100 billion thrown down the drain. Mr Cameron knows it. The SNP know it and the much-maligned Mr Corbyn has the guts to say that to expend £1600 for every man, woman and child in Britain on a deterrent that is no such thing, is political misjudgement.

It is public money that should be spent on modern hospitals, cancer treatment and Britain’s road, rail and communications infrastructure – not thrown away on a discredited political doctrine.