BRITAIN’s controversial nuclear deterrent will be renewed after a landmark House of Commons vote last night.

The replacement of the four Vanguard submarines that carry Trident missiles was backed by an overwhelming majority of MPs after several hours of debate, during which Theresa May warned them not to take a “reckless gamble” with the country’s security.

MPs voted 472 to 117 in favour.

Oxfordshire's Conservative MPs Nicola Blackwood, David Cameron, John Howell, Victorian Prentis and Ed Vaizey all backed the renewal, which was opposed by Oxford East MP Andrew Smith.

Mr Smith told the Oxford Mail: “I have consistently opposed and voted against the renewal of Trident, which I believe is wrong, ineffective in terms of defence, and a colossal waste of money.”

Making her first appearance at the Commons despatch box as Prime Minister, Mrs May insisted aggression from countries such as Russia and North Korea remained “very real”.

She added: “As our Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) made clear, there is a continuing risk of further proliferation of nuclear weapons.

We must continually convince any potential aggressors that the benefits of an attack on Britain are far outweighed by their consequences.

“And we cannot afford to relax our guard or rule out further shifts which would put our country in grave danger.”

She insisted that the UK would maintain the “full spectrum of our defences at full strength”, continuing to meet the Nato target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence and going ahead with the projects outlined in the SDSR.

As the new PM laid out the case for renewing Trident in the Commons, she was asked by SNP MP George Kerevan (East Lothian): “Can we cut to the chase? Is she personally prepared to authorise a nuclear strike that can kill a hundred thousand innocent men, women and children?”

Mrs May firmly replied: “Yes.”

She added: “And I have to say to you, the whole point of a deterrent is that our enemies need to know that we would be prepared to.

“Unlike some suggestions that we could have a nuclear deterrent but not actually be wiling to use it, which come from the Labour Party frontbench.”

Labour was deeply split on the issue. Party leader Mr Corbyn – a lifelong opponent of nuclear weapons – voted against replacing the deterrent but was forced to give his MPs a free vote after pressure from unions, who warned 45,000 jobs around the country were dependent on the programme.

But John Woodcock, the Labour MP for Barrow, where the submarines will be built, told Mrs May it remained “steadfastly” the party’s policy to retain the deterrent and many opposition MPs would “do the right thing”, despite Mr Corbyn’s unilateralist position.