As the UK counted down to its 6 May general election, defence had not emerged as a major issue for any of the three main parties proposing radical new policies. The future of the UK's submarine-based nuclear deterrent systems was the most prominent dividing line between the major parties, the Liberal Democrat Party had broken ranks with the Labour and Conservative parties by saying it would not replace the current combination of Trident D-5 ballistic missiles and Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines with a 'like for like' system.