LONDON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Britain must renew itssubmarine-borne Trident nuclear weapons system if it is tomaintain its "outsized" role in world affairs, U.S. DefenceSecretary Ash Carter said in comments published on Saturday.
A decision on replacing the ageing fleet of four submarineswhich carry nuclear warheads is due to be made this year and while Prime Minister David Cameron is committed to renewal, theissue has caused deep divisions in the opposition Labour Party.
The government has said replacing the submarines will cost31 billion pounds while Reuters has puts the overall cost ofrenewing and maintaining a successor to Trident at more than 167billion pounds ($234 billion) over 32 years.
Carter said the submarine fleet helped the "specialrelationship" Britain enjoyed with the United States, the BBCsaid on its website.
The deterrent allowed Britain to "continue to play thatoutsized role on the global stage that it does because of itsmoral standing and its historical standing," he was quoted assaying.
"It's important that the military power matches thatstanding and so we're very supportive of it. We depend upon theUnited Kingdom, the United Kingdom depends on us, that's part ofthe special relationship."
While most lawmakers in Cameron's party support keepingnuclear weapons, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteranleft-wing and anti-war activist, supports unilateral disarmamentand is holding a review of the party's policy.
That has led to deep divisions among its lawmakers andearlier this week Labour's home affairs spokesman Andy Burnhamsaid it might be impossible for the party to agree a position. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Toby Chopra)