PENARTH's MP has voted in favour of renewing the UK's £31bn nuclear deterrent.

The member for Cardiff South and Penarth, Stephen Doughty, backed plans to replenish the Trident missile system in what was a free vote for MPs.

A vote took place in the House of Commons on Monday (July 18) and saw an overwhelming 472 MPs voting to renew it and just 117 in favour of scrapping it.

The decision to approve renewal means that the manufacture of four replacement submarines to house the warheads will now go ahead.

Former shadow foreign minister, Mr Doughty, was one of 140 Labour MPs to vote in favour of Trident.

He said he voted in favour of its renewal because of the dangers that the country faces at this time.

He said: "I very much wish we could live in a world without nuclear weapons.

"I wish the bomb had never been invented or used but sadly we live in extremely volatile, uncertain and dangerous times.

Mr Doughty added that he felt that abandoning this defence would be the wrong thing to do and that the focus should be on trying to get all countries to disarm.

He said: "To send a signal that we were willing to abandon our ultimate guarantor of defence unilaterally, while others do not do so, would be a mistake at this time.

"We have already reduced our deterrent and stockpiles to the minimum credible level.

"I want to see us re-energise global multilateral disarmament talks."