I am surprised to see that Broxbourne’s MP, Charles Walker, is supporting John Bercow in the forthcoming election for Speaker of the House of Commons.

Charles is one of a group of cross party MP’s who signed a letter in today’s Guardian expressing their support for Mr Bercow.

I have doubts about Mr Bercow’s suitability as Speaker.

Let’s not forget that he is another MP who took advantage of the expenses system and “flipped” his designated second home to avoid Capital Gains Tax (although he has subsequently repaid over £6,500) and as such is, to some extent, tainted by the scandal.

There has to be a suspicion that Mr Bercow’s support from Labour MP’s is driven by party political considerations – finding the one Tory candidate that they find acceptable owing to his alienation from much of the Parliamentary Conservative Party.

Charles Walker is a fine MP and I respect and share his views on many issues.

Charles has been very open and honest in announcing his support for Mr Bercow - this is commendable and typical of Charles who is a true “conviction politician”.

However on this issue, I am afraid I have to disagree with Charles’s choice and I sincerely hope he has backed the “wrong horse” and that another candidate wins the Speakers Chair.

Nick Clegg has reopened the debate on the merits, or otherwise, of replacing the Trident inter continental ballistic missile system.

I am by no means a supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament and firmly believe that the Vanguard class “Trident” submarines and their Resolution class “Polaris” predecessors were essential during the days of the Cold War.

However I wonder if Clegg has a point here?

Do we really still need this particular weapons system when we have the Trafalgar and Astute classes of nuclear powered attack submarine that are equipped with the Tomahawk cruise missile?

The Tomahawk may be fitted with a nuclear warhead and would surely, when carried in a nuclear submarine, be a valid deterrent against “rogue” states like North Korea, Iran and the like.

The Royal Navy urgently needs its new fleet aircraft carriers – we haven’t had a proper aircraft carrier in the fleet for over 30 years (the last but one HMS Ark Royal) and the current, aging light carriers aren’t able to support our land forces with an air wing / helicopter support in the way that a fleet carrier can.

Sadly the new carriers (HMS Queen Elizabeth & HMS Prince of Wales) are delayed and won’t enter service until 2015 / 2016.

I would much rather see the defence budget spent on maintaining the nuclear attack submarine fleet, suitably equipped to provide a nuclear weapons option, getting the fleet carriers into commission and above all else providing our servicemen & women in war zones with the right equipment.