Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Guardian reports:
Theresa May was told about the test of a Trident missile that reportedly misfired, less than a week before she held a House of Commons vote on renewing the £40bn nuclear system. The prime minister’s spokeswoman insisted on Monday that the operation was successful because the submarine HMS Vengeance and its crew were “certified” afterwards.
However, she repeatedly refused to deny reports that a serious malfunction occurred during the test, saying the government would not get into operational details. Labour has been granted an urgent question on the Trident test, meaning Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, will have to appear before on Monday afternoon.
Downing Street is facing growing accusations of a cover-up as the prime minister stood up in the Commons to ask MPs to vote for the renewal of the Trident programme on 18 July without telling them about problems with the missile system.
More from the Independent:
The admission that Ms May was informed about the results of last June’s test comes 24 hours after she refused – four times – to say if she had been aware of it. She has been accused of covering up the test, which came just weeks before MPs backed the £40bn renewal of Trident by 472 votes to 117.
According to the Sunday Times, the missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles (9,012 km) from the coast of Florida to a sea target off the west coast of Africa – but veered towards the US. But, in a briefing for journalists, Ms May’s official spokeswoman said she – after becoming Prime Minister – had been briefed that the operation was “successful”.
It was a “demonstration and shakedown” operation undertaken by HMS Vengeance following a refit and both submarine and crew had been “certified” to return to service. Asked if the Prime Minister was told the missile had veered off course, she replied: “I don’t accept the premise of the question.”