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His concern was about protecting the Communist economic model against market capitalism rather than the country arming itself with nuclear weapons, according to his contribution to an “anti-Imperialist” book in 2003.

As well as making it clear he opposed sanctions, he dismissed the Cold War, denying the Soviet Union was a “threat”.

It reveals that despite opposing Britain having nuclear weapons, he did not think action should be taken against the aggressive North Korean regime for arming itself.