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Russia yesterday shocked the West by ordering a 'large-scale' rearmament of its nuclear and conventional forces. In an announcement that could trigger an arms race, President Dmitry Medvedev vowed to bolster attack and defence capability. The move came as Gordon Brown offered to surrender part of Britain's nuclear deterrent in exchange for a global disarmament deal.

"The Ministry of Defence is struggling to deal with hundreds of safety blunders, pollution leaks and environmental lapses at nuclear weapons bases on the Firth of Clyde. Official reports obtained by the Sunday Herald reveal that Faslane and Coulport have been plagued by nuclear accidents, radioactive contamination and fires over the last two years. Worryingly, there have been unspecified "shortfalls" in the safe management of nuclear bombs. And rules meant to protect people against asbestos and even Legionnaires' disease have been frequently broken."