More arrests at anti-Trident demo

A second protest is being held at Faslane

A total of 42 campaigners have been arrested during the second day of protest at the Faslane nuclear submarine base on the Clyde.

Organisers of the protest, Trident Ploughshares, said about 150 people, including SNP MSP Bruce Crawford who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, had attended the blockade.

The detentions came as peace activists blockaded the north and south entrance of the base, home to Britain's Trident nuclear submarine fleet.

Protest continues

On Monday 113 people were arrested at the naval base, near Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, including Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan.

Carol Naughton, the leader of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), was also arrested during the protest.

Police, who were out in force, estimated up to 300 people took part in the demonstration, although campaign groups said around 400 peace activists were involved.

Trident Ploughshares

Name comes from biblical phrase "to beat swords into ploughshares"

Ploughshares actions began in 1980 in the US

It is part of the international disarmament movement

It believes in non-violent direct protest

It believes nuclear weapons are immoral and irresponsible

It protests at Trident installations

Campaigners said they were able to prevent traffic entering the base for three hours.

The new protest on Tuesday is the second of three planned by the anti-nuclear weapons group Trident Ploughshares, the CND and Faslane Peace Camp outside the base.

A police spokesman said one of the gates into the base, which is home to the UK's fleet of Trident-armed submarines, had been closed on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the Clyde Naval Base said arrangements had been made to ensure staff could continue their work.

Anti-nuclear weapons campaigners have been protesting at Faslane during the month of February for more than three years.

Tommy Sheridan was carried away by police

Last year, 379 people were arrested, including 15 churchmen, Labour MP George Galloway, Mr Sheridan and Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas.

It was the biggest anti-nuclear demo seen in Scotland since the early 1960s.

Meanwhile, a delegation of workers from Faslane and nearby Coulport were joining colleagues from naval bases at Devonport and Portsmouth in London.

They were due to meet defence ministers over privatisation fears at the UK's naval bases.

Jack Dromey, national organiser of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "We expect a decision very soon from the defence ministers about whether or not they intend to keep the faith with the skilled workforces at the naval bases or pursue an option which would place the futures of many thousands of those workers at risk."