NuKEA

One has to look at why a nation wants nukes to understand why they wish to get rid of them

South Africa wanted them to keep the USSR and their neighbors from escalating things too much against the Apartheid regime

Sweden would want them for self defense against the USSR and deterrence, once the USSR is gone they can likely rely on their neutrality to work well enough on its own, and they can always build more within a year or two in if need be

Britain on the other hand is a great power and wants all the options available as such, and is not neutral like Sweden but part of an alliance

Being part of NATO, anyone who uses nuclear weapons on Britain (or any ally) will answer to an American counter-attack. Ok, so does France, but their pride won't allow them to disarm. Might be the same with the British, I suppose, but Britain just strikes me as the most likely nuclear power to disarm.
 
Being part of NATO, anyone who uses nuclear weapons on Britain (or any ally) will answer to an American counter-attack. Ok, so does France, but their pride won't allow them to disarm. Might be the same with the British, I suppose, but Britain just strikes me as the most likely nuclear power to disarm.
France has nuke because they did not want to rely on America for defense.
 
Being part of NATO, anyone who uses nuclear weapons on Britain (or any ally) will answer to an American counter-attack. Ok, so does France, but their pride won't allow them to disarm. Might be the same with the British, I suppose, but Britain just strikes me as the most likely nuclear power to disarm.

We've had Labour and Conservative governments over the last few decades and none of them has seriously suggested it. Those times it has been Labour policy they've been pretty much unelectable, and I say that as a Labour supporter.
 
Being part of NATO, anyone who uses nuclear weapons on Britain (or any ally) will answer to an American counter-attack. Ok, so does France, but their pride won't allow them to disarm. Might be the same with the British, I suppose, but Britain just strikes me as the most likely nuclear power to disarm.
Britain interests and America's interests will not always be concurrent

Further more this may not be the case, Soviet Theater (as opposed to strategic) nuclear strike plans ignored Britain and France because they had nukes, any other NATO country the USSR targeted figuring that the USA will not risk a full scale exchange over non-American soil

Think of it this way, America might use nukes in retaliation for an attack on the UK, but it may not to preserve America, the UK will retaliate on its own

Thus the UK needs nukes as long as it is a major power
 
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