TWO protest meetings are being held in the city today in advance of Monday’s Westminster vote on renewing the Trident nuclear weapons systems.

Members of the Scrap Trident Coalition planned a demo at noon at Donald Dewar’s statue in Buchanan Street, and a second at 1pm outside Marks and Spencer in Argyle Street.

Similar protests were being held in more than 33 towns and cities across Scotland from Wick to Dumfries, and from Largs to Edinburgh.

The Scrap Trident group is made up of 18 organisations including the Faslane Peace Camp, Scottish CND, Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Weapons, Scottish Greens, the Scottish Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party.

Each protest was organised by local people and a spokesman said it is expected hundreds will attend the two meetings in Glasgow.

He added: “I would expect a reasonable number of people would turn up in Glasgow. There will be placards and singing at what will be a peaceful event.”

Anne Scott, from the Scottish Women’s League for Peace and Freedom, said she hoped human security was on the agenda when Prime Minister Theresa May met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh.

She added: “That’s not about flaunting hideous weaponry like Trident but about addressing fundamental human needs for all.

“Scotland’s share of the budget for Trident would pay for fully-funded women’s refuges and rape crisis centres for the whole of Scotland.

“I am fed up [of] going to fundraisers to support these vital services when the government spends so much on unwanted weapons of mass destruction.

“There is a sharp poignancy in this meeting of these women. Women and their children are disproportionally affected by violent conflict.

“Worldwide, women’s voices are marginalised in the big negotiations about peace and disarmament, and a gender perspective on these issues is largely ignored. 

“That’s so like the way Scotland’s rejection of nuclear weapons is brushed aside at Westminster and not represented in the UN’s negotiations for disarmament.”

Protest meetings are also being held in Ayr, Biggar, Clydebank, Dumbarton, Dumfries, East Kilbride, Helensburgh, Hamilton, Kilmarnock and Largs.