UK minister upbeat as nuclear plan faces revolt

LONDON, Mar 11 (Reuters) British Defence Secretary Des Browne said today he was confident the government would win over rebellious legislators as pressure mounted before a vote on plans to renew Britain's nuclear arsenal.

Parliament votes on Wednesday on Prime Minister Tony Blair's proposal to buy up to four new nuclear-armed submarines for as much as 20 billion pounds.

Almost two-thirds of legislators from Blair's Labour Party who took part in a poll released today opposed the plan.

Blair has a majority of only 67 in the 646-seat lower house, according to the parliamentary website, and must depend on support from the opposition Conservatives -- most of whom favour updating Britain's nuclear arsenal -- to pass the plan.

''I am confident that having spent a significant period of time ... looking at the necessity for a strategic defence and weapons system at the moment, our arguments will carry the day,'' Browne told BBC radio.

Reliance on Conservative votes on a key defence issue would be another sign of Blair's crumbling authority as he prepares to step down in the next few months after a decade in power, analysts say.

Blair has pledged to renew Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system on the grounds that new threats from Iran, North Korea or nuclear terrorists make it dangerous to disarm.

The new submarines would enable Britain to keep a nuclear deterrent into the 2050s, replacing existing nuclear submarines due to go out of service in around 2024.

The BBC interviewed 101 Labour members of parliament about the vote, of whom 64 said they opposed the renewal of Trident. Only 22 of those surveyed backed the plan.

STRONGARM TACTICS Nuclear weapons have traditionally been controversial for the Labour Party, which backed unilateral nuclear disarmament until the late 1980s.

Michael Meacher, a contender for the Labour leadership when Blair leaves, accused the government of trying to strongarm members of parliament into accepting the plan.

He said if he were to become leader he would revisit the debate and arrange a ''full and proper'' consultation lasting at least six months.

British newspapers reported several ministerial aides were preparing to resign over the issue, and Labour deputy Jon Trickett put forth an amendment aimed at delaying the decision.

But Blair still has some party backing for the plan.

''In the differently dangerous world in which we live now it doesn't make sense for us to give up our nuclear weapons,'' Hilary Benn, Britain's international development minister, told Sky television.

The Conservatives also reassured Blair he had their support.

''The vast majority of Conservatives will be supporting the government,'' Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox told Sky.

''The government's decision on Trident is the right one.'' REUTERS MS KN2051