Britain considering 'son of Star Wars'

Britain is conducting detailed research into joining the American "son of Star Wars" missile defence programme, Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, said yesterday.

He told MPs that Britain had "close access" to American research on national missile defence and would "consider seriously"offering the US access to the Fylingdales radar base if the programme would improve the security of Britain and its Nato allies.

US officials visited London and other European capitals during the summer to brief Nato leaders on the national missile defence programme and repeat US willingness to offer protection to allies.

Mr Hoon's admission, the clearest hint yet that ministers are willing to join an American missile defence shield, infuriated left-wingers who claim the programme will lead to a new transatlantic arms race. But Mr Hoon confirmed the Government would publish a dossier on the benefits of missile defence and hinted that ministers would agree to hold a debate in the Commons.

He insisted that no specific decisions had been taken about missile defence and no formal request made for the use of the Fylingdales base in north Yorkshire.

He said: "It is right that we recognise the potential contribution of missile defence to a comprehensive strategy to deal with the threat from ballistic missiles, a strategy that includes non-proliferation and counter-proliferation measures, diplomacy and deterrence."

Jeremy Corbyn, a Labour MP trenchantly opposed tomissile defence, seized on Mr Hoon's admission. He asked: "Has he just not made a coded statement that Britain is going to take part in missile defence, [that] it is going to support the United States in this costly disaster, this Star Wars in the sky that lines us up ever closer with the United States?"