France is the only country in Europe with a totally independent nuclear deterrent. The UK is planning to pay £30bn to upgrade Trident. The UK will not own the missiles but will lease them under licence controls from the US. UK Submarines will have to report to King George Bay in the state of Georgia in order to be regularly inspected and serviced and armed with the leased missiles. In its latest test, the Trident missile misfired.

We now have Trump on one flank, a President who not only considers Nato to be obsolete but will also have total control of the nuclear armaments and facilities in the US; and we have Putin on the other flank, a President of Russia with apparent and activated plans to expand into Eastern Europe.

France is blessed with four triumphant nuclear submarines now armed with new M51 ballistic missiles. Many people believe this combination to be infinitely better and more proven than Trident. France also has new air launched nuclear missiles, the ASM-A, that are launched from the Mirage 2000N. It is believed that France has a modified “battlefield” version of this weapon that could be deployed against any battlefield use of nuclear weapons by an aggressor.

France has suggested that the UK and France should join forces in the funding, expansion and deployment of these armaments as a truly European nuclear deterrent. The cost to the UK would probably be less than one-fifth of the cost of our “leased” and US-dependant Trident. Moreover, these costs could, and should, be spread across the 28 members of the European Union. It is time for Europe to defend itself – and it would be good if we could unify and cooperate to build that defence. But of course this cooperation is now unlikely as we have decided to walk away from the EU.

Martin Deighton

Wickham Market

Trident

The real question is have there been any subsequent tests and how did they go?

Robert Davies

Address supplied

Up in smoke

The joy with which news of President Trump’s offer to do a trade deal with Britain has been received by Brexiteers, Tory newspapers and the Foreign Secretary could be short-lived when one considers that no such deal can be envisaged until Britain is outside the EU.

At that point, having relinquished all its special trading rights with Europe, Britain will hardly be in the most favourable position to deal with a President who has promised his compatriots to do “beautiful” trade deals.

One can picture him in the Oval Office, striking a match on the bust of Winston Churchill, lighting a cigar and leaning back in the presidential chair and anticipation.

Edwin Apps

France

The extinction of the Davos protestor

There were no anti-globalisation protesters at Davos. Has President Trump made them redundant?

John Doherty

Vienna

The myth of commercial patriotism

In 1930 the United States passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. It was not the cause of the Great Depression, but served to deepen and prolong the recession, provoking foreign retaliation and a general contraction in world trade. In 1968 the UK became briefly involved in the “I’m backing Britain” campaign. But, as if to prove the futility of urging people to show patriotism in their purchasing, we were about to enter in the 1970s – one of the worst decades of British industrial decline in modern history.

We buy the products we want for various reasons, but rarely just because they are made in our own country. Populist politicians such as Trump woo voters with simplistic and unachievable panaceas, but being seduced by their own rhetoric they ignore the lessons of history. Protectionism and commercial patriotism are not going to revive American industries that have been swept away by new technology and Far Eastern competition.

Gavin Turner

Norfolk

Back to the Eighties

I think John Hudson has hit on something in his letter regarding the NHS 30 years ago. Instead of going on strike or taking other “industrial” action, why don't those of us who work in the NHS have a “back to the Eighties” week across the board. Then perhaps there will be a better understanding from Government, press and patients how far the NHS has come, and where it needs to go.

Andy Mellor