TRIDENT nuclear missile renewal is to be voted on Monday, July 18, the Prime Minister has announced.

I am shocked that such a crucial decision about the country's future should be taken at a week's notice with no real time for debate. There are many substantial causes for concern including:

•The scale of destruction these weapons would cause if fired, with indiscriminate civilian casualties far in excess of Hiroshima, and massive damage to the fragile ecosystem of our planet

•The risk of accidental detonation or launch in response to mistaken enemy threat

•The doubtful level of deterrence and security these weapons provide, with their dependence on America and their inability to respond to actual threats of terrorism or rogue states

•Their extortionate expense (a staggering £205b) at a time when our local hospitals, colleges, libraries and children's centres are all being run down. For this amount of money we could build three million affordable homes, or 120 new hospitals and employ 150,000 new nurses.

It is true that 11,500 jobs depend on Trident to some extent, but many of these jobs would still exist even if it was cancelled. If we wanted to, we could create alternative work in wind and wave power, nuclear decommissioning, aerospace and marine industries that would make use of precisely the skills and experience of these workers. We should support United Nations peacekeeping initiatives and tackle the causes of international conflict rather than pour money down the drain with this inflexible and obsolete weapons system. Please contact your MP and urge them to vote against Trident renewal next Monday.

Ian McHugh

Bolton