Brown promises to keep Britain nuclear

LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- British Chancellor Gordon Brown angered the left wing of the Labor Party by promising to keep Britain a nuclear power.

Brown -- a few hours after Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged a full parliamentary debate on replacing the arsenal of Trident missiles -- said in a speech to business leaders in London that Labor is committed to the country's "independent nuclear deterrent," The Scotsman reported. He said that would demonstrate "strength of national purpose."

Brown is Blair's second-in-command and is widely regarded as most likely to succeed Blair as Labor leader.

Keith Sonnet, deputy secretary general of Unison, the country's largest labor union, said the program would cost billions of pounds to protect against "a non-existent threat." His criticism was echoed by environmentalists and anti-nuclear campaigners.

Some in his party welcomed Brown's stand, the Times of London reported.

"Protecting national security is the first duty of any government, and this responsibility will be safe in Gordon Brown's hands," said Paul Murphy, chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.