AS the peace-seeking nations of the world complete the ratification of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (opened for signature in September 2017) it was utterly horrifying to learn of British plans to replace Trident warheads with even more destructive ones (“MP: MoD plan to replace Trident warheads rips up nuclear treaty”, The Herald, February 24). Do treaties mean anything to the United States or the United Kingdom? The agreement between the Big Five nuclear powers made in 1968 and enacted in1972, to work towards reducing killing power, eliminating weapons of mass destruction and ensuring non-proliferation of these illegal, immoral horrors has been wickedly ignored. Add to this Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Treaty to Prohibit the Use of Landmines, memorably fought for by Princess Diana, we find two of the world’s most deluded nations reneging on support for the United Nations at a time when all countries must work together on preventing climate catastrophe and a final world war.

Meanwhile Scotland is expected to host five more nuclear-powered submarine corpses to add to those already rusting away because Westminster cannot or will not find the money for their decommissioning. This on top of hosting Faslane and its arsenal because, as Frankie Boyle suggested, Scots are expendable in the event of a radioactive accident. Londoners would not tolerate such danger.

Sandra Phelps, Glasgow G20.

WHETHER it was mere chance, or judicious insight that led you to print the piece about SNP MP Stewart McDonald's Trident replacement warning directly above an ex-Moderator’s warning about “a spiritual tsunami” ("Ex-moderator warns Kirk is in middle of a ‘spiritual tsunami’", The Herald, February 24), this juxtaposition was certainly serendipitous.

The first article quotes a Pentagon spokesman as saying: “It is wonderful that the USA and UK are working on new warheads at the same time,” as if this were Good News. Then Albert Bogle, former Moderator, who spends his life preaching the real Good News, warns of a “moral tsunami”.

Arundhati Roy said: “The nuclear bomb is the most anti-democratic, anti-national, anti-human, outright evil thing that man has ever made.” We live like Noah without an Ark, drowning in a deluge of evil.

Stewart McDonald points out that this decision breaks the NPT (Non Proliferation Treaty) agreed in 1970. But we have already shattered this agreement with Trident. By Article VI of the NPT the signatories undertook “to work in good faith for the elimination of nuclear weapons”. We have done the very reverse. When Trident was introduced in 1994, the Select Committee on Defence described it as “a significant enhancement (my emphasis) of the UK’s nuclear capability”.

Before the election in December we saw the candidates vying with each other to demonstrate their machismo by proclaiming their willingness to “press the button”. Jo Swinson was particularly memorable, answering with the same aplomb as if she had been asked if she took milk in her coffee.

Truly, we ourselves are our first nuclear victims, because we must first destroy the basic human decency in our own hearts, before we can agree to the unimaginable slaughter of Trident. This is the greatest blasphemy of all time, the reversal of Genesis; it is a sin crying to heaven for vengeance – and the defence spokesman describes it as “wonderful”.

Archbishop RG Hunthausen of Seattle said: “Our nuclear war preparations are the global crucifixion of Jesus. What we do to the least of these, including our nuclear planning, we do to Jesus. This is his teaching. We cannot avoid it, and we should not try. Our nuclear weapons are the final crucifixion of Jesus, the extermination of the human family with whom he is one.”

But we press determinedly on, blinded by our loyalty to our Gods of metal. Our nuclear idolatry reigns supreme.

I would despair – if it were not a luxury I cannot afford.

Brian M Quail, Glasgow G11.

THERE are always purveyors of doom and gloom when ideas of how to build a stronger, better and more prosperous Scotland are put forward.

Guy Stenhouse's comment ("Stuff the cost-benefit analysis and take Boris bridge chance", Herald Business, February 25) is refreshingly welcome.

Given that trading with the EU and WTO will eventually sort itself out regarding tax/VAT and so on, the opening up of the south-west of Scotland and Northern Ireland to Europe via a bridge/tunnel would reinvigorate greatly both areas of the British Isles.

The cost of £20 billion is not a major obstacle when compared with £31bn for Trident, and will pale into relative insignificance with the blossoming of both areas over the coming years.

Matthew Scanlon, near Kilsyth.