Strategic Defence Initiative (Hansard, 9 December 1985)

§ Mr. Gavin Strang (Edinburgh, East)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the agreement between the British Government and the American Administration in support of the United States strategic defence initiative. SDI is clearly specific. It has been specific since President Reagan's televised speech on 23 March 1983. SDI is important. If the American strategic defence initiative goes ahead, it could well herald the escalation of the nuclear arms race into space which is likely to make the nuclear holocaust come sooner rather than later. SDI is important because the agreement means that the British Government are the first Government in Europe to support the American "star wars" project. No amount of haggling over dollars or grovelling for Pentagon contracts can conceal that, as the demeaning statement of the Secretary of State has made clear this afternoon.

The matter is urgent, because there has been no debate or Division in this House on the principle of the strategic defence initiative. It is a scandal that the agreement should have been signed without Parliament first having an opportunity to discuss the principle of the SDI research programme. The Government are making a mockery of Parliament, and I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, to end that forthwith.