Who is the "Second Person"

[potterfan3]

The British nuclear submarines have "letters of last resort" locked away on board. They instruct the sub what to do in the event that Britain is destroyed and the Prime Minister and his "Second Person" have been killed and so can't issue new orders.

(no joke http://en.wikipedia.o...tters_of_last_resort)

I was wondering who the so-called "Second Person" is? Or are we not supposed to know? It would make sense that we shouldn't know because whilst the Prime Minister's views on nuclear weapon use might be well known, the Second Person's views wouldn't be known at all. Therefore would-be attackers might be more cautious about attacking us than they would if they knew that only people who have spoken openly against nuclear weapon use have the power to make the decision whether or not to retaliate. (this is hypothetical, I don't really know about David Cameron's nuclear weapons views)

The most likely person imo is William Hague. I very much doubt it's Nick Clegg and I really hope it isn't Gideon. It could be Philip Hammond but he doesn't seem senior enough

[baza]

hope its not jeremy clarkson

[emmie]

I would think it's the deputy PM, but am not sure.

[albaqwerty]

I think the second person would be the last senior politician who was killed.
Therefore there is no name attached.

[Bazile]

What is the definition of a ' senior politician ' ?

[emmie]

not in age, but pecking order i think?

[albaqwerty]

slip of the typing finger, maybe the last MP of the party which was in power at the time? As Em says, pecking order.

[baza]

it may be a senior military person, it cant be the deputy PM as he takes his holidays at the same time as his boss.

[emmie]

baza, ouch.

[albaqwerty]

rules out JC, thankfully.
Never thought about that Baza, but if the Monarch is C-in-C, and Charles is C-inC of other Services and so on and so forth, would that mean it would come down to Her Maj?

[potterfan3]

I don't think it's a pecking order thing. It describes the role as the PM's "personally appointed alternate decision-taker" in this article: http://www.dailymail....iles-end-world--.html

BTW, it should be obvious how to fix it but the wiki link in the OP is broken:
http://en.wikipedia.o...etters_of_last_resort

[Ellipsis]

It's, as the Wiki article says, "normally a high-ranking member of the Cabinet".

There would be no pecking order. If the PM and the Second Person were killed and the British state was destroyed, it would be down to the letter - not the opinion of the last living member of the Cabinet.

If the PM is killed but the Second Person and/or British state remain intact, the letter is not to be used.

If the British state is destroyed but the PM and/or Second Person remain alive, likewise, the letter is not to be used.

It's only if all three are gone that the letter is to be used.

[baza]

alba I was thinking more on the lines of proper people not blue bloods, God help us if it falls on Charles who may be busy talking to his plants, wishing them a fond farewell.

[Bazile]

http://news.bbc.co.uk...d_7758000/7758347.stm

This article does not mention any ' second Person '

// If Britain is substantially destroyed by a nuclear strike and the prime minister is killed, the captain of the submarine on patrol (one is always out there, armed and ready to strike) will open his safe, take out the prime minister's instructions, and act on them. //

[albaqwerty]

Baza, I've watched far too many US films where the various C-of-Staffs compete with each other, the army, air-force and so on about who is the more senior/most senior.
It's a scary thought, however, if the senior politicos have been killed, then I don't think there's going to be much left of the human race.

[jake-the-peg]

They probably say "Pocede directly to the South Pacific and rendez vous with the other nuclear submarines at Taihiti - there allow the crews to all come ashore with large amounts of booze and hold a wake and drink to our memory - Cheers!"

[vulcan]

There wont be any submarines.
http://www.telegraph....o-man-submarines.html

[johnny37]

How do you know all this is true? Isnt it top secret? Boring I know but its the Head Of States job to send for someone to take over. Not sure if the line to the throne is official. I believe there is some sheep farmer in Australia who is about no 102.