Scottish church leaders have intensified pressure on the Government to abandon plans to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Bill Hewitt, joined the Scottish Clergy against Nuclear Armaments pressure group at Holyrood yesterday to launch a new campaign placing Trident and nuclear weapons at the heart of the general election campaign.

The clergy, who came from across the denominational spectrum, say the forthcoming election offers a rare opportunity to challenge the belief that nuclear weapons are necessary for modern warfare.

A postcard has been produced for Christians to send to MPs and candidates urging them to put nuclear weapons and Trident at the forefront of their campaign.

Mr Hewitt said: “There is a real chance that the renewal of the Trident system, which is due very soon, could be overturned if enough political pressure is applied.

“Especially, at a time when voters are asking hard questions about how we best use our tax revenues for the benefit of the maximum number of citizens.”

The Government is planning to replace the Vanguard Trident submarines with a new generation of nuclear missile carriers.

The main Churches in Scotland have led lengthy campaigns against the renewal of Trident. They argue that the use of weapons of mass destruction is immoral and breaks international laws. They are instead calling on the Government to lead the way in disarmament under the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.