LABOUR members were yesterday given their first chance in over a decade to debate the party’s position on nuclear weapons.

Labour conference, which begins in Brighton on Sunday, looks set to discuss a motion tabled by members opposing the Tory plans to blow £100 on Trident renewal.

The debate was initially blocked by party bosses, but a “contemporary” motion on the issue was accepted yesterday by the party’s conference arrangement committee.

It states “nuclear weapons do nothing for the security of Britain” and calls the cost “wholly unjustified at a time of devastating cuts in public spending.”

If passed it would give Jeremy Corbyn a mandate to lead Labour MPs in opposition to Trident renewal when it comes before Parliament next year.

Labour dropped its objection to nuclear weapons under Neil Kinnock, who argued it contributed to the party’s crushing 1983 general election defeat.

Leaders since then have maintained support for Trident and the party looked set to back the government plan to commission a new fleet of nuclear submarines.

But Mr Corbyn was elected leader earlier this month after campaigning to scrap Trident and use the billions saved to revive British manufacturing. He has also proposed a Defence Diversification Agency to redeploy skilled Trident workers to other industries. 

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Kate Hudson said next week’s vote was an “enormous and urgent opportunity” for Labour members after previous attempts to call conference votes over Trident were ruled out of order. 

She told the Star: “We urge the fullest possible support for the motion in the priorities ballot and on the floor of conference.

“Parliament will decide on whether or not to replace Trident next year. It is vital that Labour stands against these weapons of mass destruction.”

The motion is likely to be supported by a majority of ordinary members at the conference, but will face opposition from within the shadow cabinet.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn stated his opposition to unilateral disarmament at the weekend.

“I share with Jeremy the wish to see a world that is free of nuclear weapons but I don’t believe for one second that if Britain were to give up its deterrent any other of the nuclear states would give theirs up,” he told the BBC.

Unions are split on the issue.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis backed Mr Corbyn over disarmament at TUC Congress last week, saying spending billions on weapons could not be justified at a time of spending cuts.

But GMB Scotland said yesterday it would be “madness” to put 40,000 jobs at risk.

Acting Scotland secretary Gary Smith said: “Without defence work there will be no Clyde shipyards and Falmouth would probably face closure.

“The same goes for Barrow. The real casualties will be the communities if these highly skilled, well-paid, irreplaceable union jobs are given up.”

Unite also represents Trident workers, although it has supported a defence diversification programme since 2010.

Whether the motion is debated depends on whether it is selected by members in a priority ballot of contemporary motions to be held on Sunday.