[user104658]

I'm not saying that the landscape couldn't change to the point where nuclear war becomes reality. I'm saying that if it does, whether or not we're the ones firing them will not matter. Not even slightly.

They have no use as weapons, their only use is as a threat / deterrent. Their only use as a deterrent is against the nuclear superpowers as part of M.A.D. Trident is not needed as part of M.A.D.

The only scenario under which we would need our own nuclear deterrent is if the three major players involved in m.a.d were to be on the same side, and against us. So that's the US, Russia and China teaming up as a nuclear threat against Europe or the UK and US then using four submarines to deter them.

It's a scenario so ludicrous that you might as well say we should keep nukes incase an invading force of insectoid aliens attacks, and we'll need to turn the trident subs into makeshift spacecraft and launch them into space to destroy the insect moon-base.

If either of those things happen (superpower dreamteam or insect invaders) we are automatically and completely screwed to the point that fighting back would actually be laughable.

I'll say again: it's dick swinging.

There's a reason that the English - both people and politicians - are desperate to cling to trident and a place as "big boys" on the world stage in ways that the other countries in the UK are not. That reason is that England - unlike the other countries - have very little national identity that isn't linked to empire and power.