The government has said that closer nuclear cooperation with France under the Northwood Declaration does not affect the United Kingdom’s independent nuclear deterrent, insisting that control over the use of UK nuclear weapons remains solely with the Prime Minister.
In written answers to Parliament, Defence Minister Luke Pollard addressed questions about the impact of the UK–France joint nuclear statement issued in July 2025, which set out plans to deepen cooperation between the two countries’ nuclear forces.
Pollard said the UK and France remained sovereign nuclear-weapon states, with fully independent nuclear forces and decision-making structures. He stressed that coordination between the two deterrents, where required, would not dilute national control.
“It will remain the case that only the Prime Minister can authorise the firing of the UK’s nuclear weapons,” Pollard said.
The questions were tabled by independent MP James McMurdock, who asked what assessment had been made of the declaration’s impact both on the UK’s independent deterrent and on nuclear operations with France. In response, the Ministry of Defence repeated that independence had not been compromised.
Pollard said that while each country retained the ability to act independently, the declaration allowed for closer coordination in extreme circumstances, arguing that this could strengthen deterrence rather than weaken it.
“Deepening nuclear co-operation between the UK and France improves our ability to work together in times of crisis and strengthens our existing commitments to our Allies in an uncertain and dangerous world,” he said.
He added that the possibility of coordination between two independent centres of nuclear decision-making could complicate the calculations of potential adversaries, thereby enhancing overall deterrence.
The Northwood Declaration marked a significant step in UK–France defence cooperation, building on long-standing bilateral arrangements while stopping short of any form of shared control or joint command over nuclear weapons.
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