Theresa May has said she would be prepared to push the nuclear button to protect the UK - even if it would cause mass fatalities.

The Prime Minister made the declaration as she laid out the case for renewing Trident during a Commons debate, ahead of a crucial vote by MPs later this evening.

What Is Trident?

George Kerevan, an MP for the SNP, asked Mrs May: "Can we cut to the chase? Is she personally prepared to authorise a nuclear strike that can kill a hundred thousand innocent men, women and children?"

She replied: "Yes - and I have to say to you, the whole point of a deterrent is that our enemies need to know that we would be prepared to."

During her first Commons speech since becoming PM, Mrs May criticised Jeremy Corbyn's opposition to maintaining the nuclear deterrent, and described it as a "vital part of national security and defence for nearly half a century".


PM: Scrapping Trident Would Be Irresponsible

Mrs May warned the "very real threat" posed by the likes of North Korea and Russia meant it was essential for the UK to have a round-the-clock capability of launching a missile from a submarine.

"We must continually convince any potential aggressors that the benefits of an attack on Britain are far outweighed by their consequences," she added.

Options Available In Trident Vote

Labour leader Mr Corbyn is expected to vote against replacing the four ageing Vanguard submarines which carry the Trident ballistic missiles.

However, his stance is at odds with his own party's manifesto, which supports maintenance of the nuclear deterrent - as do leadership rivals Angela Eagle and Owen Smith.

Mr Corbyn said: "I make it clear today that I would not take a decision that kills millions of people, I do not believe the threat of mass murder is a legitimate way to go about dealing with international relations."

The SNP is also strongly opposed to Trident, with the party's Westminster leader Angus Robertson describing it as "an immoral, obscene and redundant weapons system".

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has estimated the cost of replacing the four nuclear submarines at £31bn over a 30-year period - with £10bn set aside as a contingency in case budgets overrun.

The Trident nuclear programme is operated by the Royal Navy and based at Clyde Naval Base, commonly known as Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland.