UK defence minister launches new nuclear submarine programme

BARROW-IN-FURNESS, England (Reuters) - The building of four new nuclear submarines for the Royal Navy began on Wednesday, part of a multi-billion pound update of Britain's defence programme providing thousands of jobs. Defence Minister Michael Fallon attended a steel-cutting ceremony at BAE Systems in the northern English town of Barrow-in-Furness to mark the start of manufacturing on the "Successor" models, an update of Britain's nuclear deterrent. Lawmakers backed renewing Britain's ageing nuc