Ex-Royal Navy submarine officer sues Ministry of Defence after objecting to nuclear weapon use

Sub-Lieutenant Antonio Jardim told Royal Navy superiors that he was opposed to the use of Britain's nuclear deterrent just days after being assigned to HMS Vanguard, a Trident missile-armed submarine.

An employment tribunal heard that the practising Christian complained that after he made his objection he was nicknamed 'Trigger' by fellow sailors because of his aversion to the weapons.

He claimed as a result of his making his beliefs clear, he lost his security clearance, was banned from being on board HMS Vanguard, and made to spend a year on shore-based employment in Portsmouth.

Now, he has launched legal action after resigning, by taking the Ministry of Defence to the tribunal claiming to be the victim of religious discrimination.

The 15,900 tonne HMS Vanguard, which is nearly 500ft long, cost around £3.75bn and is one of the most formidable boats the navy has ever built.

HMS Vanguard, based at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland, is the lead boat of her class of four Trident ballistic missile-armed submarines which were built in the 1990s under the Trident nuclear deterrent programme.

The hearing in Southampton, was told Mr Jardim, joined the navy in 2019 as a weapons engineering officer and in January 2020 was assigned to Vanguard for training.

Just 13 days later, he announced to navy bosses 'he was against being personally involved with the operational deployment of nuclear weapons'.

A tribunal report said: ‘Mr Jardim’s case is that as a Christian he is opposed to nuclear weapons, and that when he made his views known shortly after his appointment he was removed from the boat, had his security clearance cancelled and then spent about a year with shore-based employment before deciding to leave the service.’

Mr Jardim claims when he attended his first joining interview for the navy 'there were no questions asked relating to nuclear weapons'.

Further, he said he was told 'not to worry' about a specific security clearance as he would not be serving on a nuclear submarine due to his dual nationality.

The tribunal report added: ‘On January 24 2020 he was selected for service on [nuclear submarines]. On February 6 2020 he made the Royal Navy aware that due to his Christian beliefs he was against being personally involved with the operational deployment of nuclear weapons.

‘As a result, he earned the nickname “Trigger” amongst his peers, reflecting his reluctance to “pull the trigger”.’

Mr Jardim told the tribunal he left the service after making his ‘moral views known’, adding: ‘I believe I have been subjected to a series of connected acts of discriminatory treatment based upon my religious beliefs.’

Mr Jardim’s case will proceed to a further hearing in 2023. The full hearing will examine whether requiring sailors to serve on nuclear submarines puts people who object to nuclear weapons at a risk of discrimination, the tribunal suggested.

The Ministry of Defence disputes the claims.