Minister quits over Trident plans

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 13th Mar 2007

Deputy leader of the Commons Nigel Griffiths has quit the government in protest at plans to renew the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system. He resigned "with a heavy heart but a clear conscience" ahead of Wednesday's House of Commons vote on the plan. Although a Labour rebellion is expected the Tories back renewal of Trident, making a government defeat unlikely. Mr Griffiths, an MP since 1987 and deputy Commons leader since 2005, previously served as a trade and industry minister. Jim Devine, a parliamentary private secretary, has also indicated he will resign over the issue.

The Liberal Democrats have said Parliament should not make its decision until at least 2012. A survey for BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend programme found that out of the 101 Labour MPs who responded, only 22 said they supported the renewal of Trident, 64 said they opposed it, and a further 15 remained undecided