Castro slams Britain's spending

Updated 08.22 Tue May 22 2007

Keywords: nuclear submarines, Britain, Cuba, Fidel Castro

Cuban leader Fidel Castro has criticised Britain for spending money on nuclear submarines instead of healthcare.

He said Cuba could train 75,000 doctors, treat 150 million people or build 3,000 polyclinics in poor countries for the cost of the four submarines Britain is building.

Castro said Cuba could train 75,000 doctors, treat 150 million people or build 3,000 polyclinics in poor countries for the cost of the four submarines Britain is building

The convalescing Castro said the weapons will be used to police a world order dominated by his archenemy, the US.

"Churchill said: 'Sink the Bismarck!' Today Blair says: 'Sink what remains of Great Britain's prestige,'" Castro said in an article for the Communist Party newspaper.

The 80-year-old leftist firebrand, who has not appeared in public since having bowel surgery ten months ago, took to writing editorial columns from his sickbed in March to reassert his leadership in Cuba.

The UK's Ministry of Defence said it has placed a £200 million order with BAE Systems to start building a fourth Astute class submarine.

The Astute class submarines are the largest and most powerful attack submarines ever built in the UK for the Royal Navy.

Three other Astute class submarines are under construction and the first is due to be launched on June 8 and to enter service in 2009.

Castro said Britain was once "Queen of the Seas," but all that is left today "is just a fraction of the hegemonic power of its ally and leader, the United States."