Dim nuclear

I haven't been able to find out much about this, in particular what the original motion or the amendment say, but yesterday the Anglican synod 'came out against government plans to upgrade the Trident nuclear missile system, passing a pointed amendment to a more bland motion, declaring that it would be contrary to the UK's obligations in international law and the country's ethical principles.

The move followed a passionate intervention by Dr Rowan Williams that Trident was morally unacceptable. "I don't believe that there is a case for the moral acceptability of nuclear weapons that I could with integrity accept,' he said. "I believe that the least a Christian body ought to do would be ... to issue the strongest possible warnings and discouragements to our government."'

Da iawn, Rowan. (A Swansea boy, you see.)

But the amendment was only passed by 165 to 149. Which seems to be a sad indictment of the Anglican church in this country.