CND welcomes new top-level disarmament group

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today welcomed the formation of a new grouping of ex-ministers and retired senior military officers calling for multilateral nuclear disarmament. The group, which echoes that formed by former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, is part of a growing movement of senior politicians from across the political spectrum who are highlighting the urgency of moving towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

The announcement of the group's formation comes at a time of renewed debate about the £76bn project to replace the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system. A ComRes/Independent opinion poll released yesterday yet again showed a majority of voters in favour of scrapping Trident by 58 to 35%.

The 'Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation' includes former Labour ministers Des Browne, Margaret Beckett, John Reid and Lord Robertson; senior Conservatives Malcolm Rifkind and Michael Ancram; and three former chiefs of the defence staff, General Lord Guthrie, Field Marshal Lord Inge and Admiral Lord Boyce. Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams, an internationally acknowledged expert in this area, will also join the group.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "The formation of such a high-level coalition underlines the urgency of the task facing governments, the UK included, to ensure progress on disarmament. Serious steps must be taken towards disarmament otherwise we will see the further spread of these most dangerous of weapons. The cross-party nature of this group shows how nuclear disarmament is taken increasingly seriously across the political spectrum. It is now vital that the leaders of the parties represented in this group also fully support its goals."

"We strongly support the group's goal of reaching a common European position on the withdrawal of the remaining 200 US nuclear weapons in Europe. Rapidly reaching a consensus on this could feed into the current re-writing of NATO's 'strategic concept'. The 'sharing' of US nuclear weapons with Germany, Belgium Holland, Italy and Turkey contradicts both the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and NATO's international non-proliferation policy. Any efforts which secure the removal of these weapons will be a positive step towards reducing tensions and de-nuclearising NATO."

Trident replacement pause is 'excellent news' says CND

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament warmly welcomed the suggestion that the Government is to delay the 'Initial Gate' decision on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons submarines, pending the outcome of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in May 2010. Previously, the Government planned to move on to the next stage of the replacement process during the Parliamentary recess in September.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said:
"This delay is excellent news. We hope the Government will not only make a major contribution to advancing plans for global disarmament at the forthcoming international talks, but also use this pause to reconsider Britain's possession of nuclear weapons. Given the worsening economic climate, defence cuts will be necessary, but scrapping Trident would be positively beneficial to reducing global tensions.

"The current defence review and the Strategic Defence Review to be held after the next election are excellent opportunities to conclude that the challenges of the coming century cannot be met by costly Cold War weapons systems like Trident. We hope Ministers are brave enough to share the conclusion of the Generals who recently described Trident as 'militarily useless'.

"We hope this is the first sign that the Government is really prepared to respond to the changed mood not just from leaders like President Obama, but also from the British public. Recent polls show a majority oppose the UK's continued possession of nuclear weapons. This will be a vote winner for whichever party chooses to free itself - and Britain - from the dogma of the past. We are a world away from the tense world of the 1980s - the public recognises this, but now politics needs to catch up."

Earlier today over 30 MPs wrote to the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary demanding exactly such a delay to the Initial Gate. They called for Parliament to have further discussions on Trident replacement before such a major spending commitment is given. CND believes that it is essential that such a debate takes place before the next stage of the project commences, whenever that occurs.

The Initial Gate decision, which would allow detailed design work to commence, is estimated to commit £2-3bn. The procurement costs for the new submarines are likely to be in the order of £25bn, with total costs of £76bn for the project when running costs are included.

Brown 'stuck in Cold War rut' on Trident; MPs demand new debate

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has today condemned Gordon Brown's promotion and funding of a global explosion of nuclear power production as 'the slow poison route to global destruction', which will make nuclear weapons proliferation more - not less - likely. CND deplores the Prime Minister's failure to address any of the current concerns about Trident and its replacement, in spite of extensive public concern and rethinking from across the political spectrum. Today over 30 MPs have written to the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary demanding that parliament has further discussion on Trident replacement before a government decision to advance to the next stage.3 Currently the government plans to take this decision during the Parliamentary recess.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: "This is a time of unprecedented popular opposition to, and widespread political concern about, Britain's nuclear weapons. It is outrageous that the Prime Minister has chosen to ignore these concerns and stick unquestioningly to the Cold War white elephant Trident. Instead he is promoting and funding - with British taxpayers' money - a global explosion of nuclear power that amounts to the slow poison route to global destruction.

"There are repeated calls - from all parts of the political spectrum - for a new debate on Trident replacement, and there is a clear demand that Trident should be included in the forthcoming defence review. Instead the government plans to progress to the next stage of the replacement process during the parliamentary recess. Mr Brown, who is clearly stuck in a Cold War rut, is ignoring the advice of the Foreign Affairs Committee which has demanded just such a debate, along with many MPs drawn from all parties.

"We welcome the MPs' letter today, to the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary, calling for parliamentary scrutiny and debate before a government decision to progress to the next stage of Trident replacement. This issue is too important to be decided behind closed doors."

CND urges Brown to scrap Trident, opt for green energy

Prior to Gordon Brown's announcement on nuclear weapons and nuclear power expected later today, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament commented that any plan which ignores the fact that Britain is ploughing ahead and replacing its nuclear arsenal will not be seen as credible by non-nuclear states.

Today's speech, outlining plans ahead of the crucial Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in May, is expected to focus on spreading nuclear power in a form that doesn't assist weapons production and on proposals to tighten inspection regimes.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "For any British plan on controlling nuclear weapons to be taken seriously, it must take up Trident. We can't seriously expect non-nuclear nations to agree to the necessary toughening of international inspections if we ourselves aren't keeping our end of the bargain - disarmament. The NPT is based on the grand deal that others won't seek nuclear weapons if the original nuclear powers disarm. Britain can take the lead in all these areas by scrapping Trident replacement - and saving us £76bn."

"It is a nonsense for the Government to say there is no current nuclear threat to Britain and then commit to having a Cold War-stlye weapons system until the 2050s. Britain can't expect those without these weapons to make all the concessions - we have to take action to make progress. Unilateral leadership by the UK will promote multilateral reductions by all."

"Spreading nuclear power technology around the world may advance commercial interests that are profitable for some, but is not the answer to climate change and will increase proliferation risks. A real green energy revolution is needed over the coming decades - British manufacturing could be at the core of that, but exporting dirty, dangerous and expensive nuclear technology is not the way forward."

Majority want Britain to abandon nuclear weapons

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament welcomed today's Guardian/ICM poll showing that a majority of Britons, 54%, want the country to rid itself of nuclear weapons [note 3]. Only 42% favour the replacement of Trident with a new generation of nuclear weapons. Significantly, the results were achieved from a question that did not mention the potential costs of the system, suggesting the growing acceptance that the UK does not need nuclear weapons goes beyond objection to the costs of any one development.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "Public opinion has decisively shifted towards opposing the UK's retention of nuclear weapons - now we need politicians to catch up. The majority who want Britain to go nuke-free will not tolerate parties who plan to squander £76bn on replacing Trident. But the flip-side is also true: those offering a defence policy relevant to the real threats of the future and who will redirect the billions planned for Trident into more useful programmes will reap the rewards at the ballot box. The results also show that people are rejecting the need for such city-destroying weapons entirely - plans for 'Trident-lite' or cheaper, less capable nuclear weapons systems will not be a draw to these voters. To ignore such a major shift in British public opinion is foolhardy. It smacks of a head-in-the-sand approach - an unwillingness to recognise that things change, and that policies have to change too.

"The question of whether to commit billions to new nuclear weapons is also an urgent one - the onus is now on the government to explain why it intends to push ahead with the next stage of Trident replacement in September during parliamentary recess without any debate or scrutiny from MPs. The Foreign Affairs Committee and 160 MPs have called for just such a debate yet the Government seems to want to carry on as though nothing has changed - no recession, no Obama disarmament drive, no shift in public opinion. This has to change before they commit another £2bn to Trident in the next few months. [Notes 4, 5, 6]

"The poll also highlights the need for the upcoming Defence Review to give full consideration to cancelling Britain's ruinously expensive nuclear programme. It is ludicrous that the MoD have defined Trident as a "sacred cow" exempt from review, when culling this white elephant would end its huge distortion of defence spending and allow a focus on more immediate life-saving priorities. With President Obama acknowledging that disarmament by established nuclear powers is the best way to combat the spread of these terrible weapons, the urgent necessity for nuclear disarmament is staring us in the face. Most people have recognised that. The truly shocking fact is that our government - ostrich-like - won't even enter into a discussion on the subject."

Don't pre-empt disarmament talks with Trident replacement, says CND

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has welcomed Gordon Brown's comments in support of multilateral nuclear disarmament, made at the G8 summit. But CND cautioned that continuing with Trident replacement was already placing a costly obstacle in the way of achieving the aspirations shared by Mr Brown, President Obama, and other world leaders. CND reiterated the growing call for Trident to be included in the upcoming Defence Review.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "We welcome the many positive developments on reducing nuclear tensions that have been sparked by Obama's meeting with Medvedev. Mr Brown's comments form part of this, but the real test is whether he is prepared to take the steps necessary to ensure Britain's pursuit of Trident replacement doesn't end up damaging the chances of a multilateral deal.

"These next twelve months could be a real turning point for disarmament and non-proliferation, with Obama's Washington summit in March and the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference a month later. In this context it seems perverse that the Government has specifically excluded Trident from its upcoming Defence Review. Voices from across the political spectrum have called for an urgent reassessment of the decision to plough ahead with the £76bn Trident Replacement, not only as budgets come under increasing strain but also given the global push towards full nuclear abolition. CND agrees with the senior armed-forces figures who described Trident as 'militarily useless'. At the very least the Review should be questioning the maintenance of Britain's Cold War posture: we have a nuclear-armed submarine on patrol and ready to fire 365 days a year, regardless of international tensions. It is a disgrace that Gordon Brown is set to release billions for new submarines during the Parliamentary recess this September, against the recommendations of the Foreign Affairs Committee and 160 back-benchers [notes 3 and 4], whilst at the same time ignoring the chance to review the need for the system.

"The Prime Minister is also mistaken when he says 'the whole point of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is that those people who have weapons will be willing to reduce them as far as is possible' - the UK's binding legal commitment under article VI of the NPT is to undertake complete nuclear disarmament, not merely reductions to a lower level [see note 5]. If Britain is serious about convincing Iran and others to buy-in to the NPT, we must not make false claims about our own end of the bargain. Iran has already cited Trident replacement as a major point of concern during NPT negotiations [see note 6]. Britain should not allow a hugely expensive relic of the Cold War to become the sticking point which prevents defusing the crisis that could spark the next major conflict. We don't need it, we can't afford it and we can contribute better to a more peaceful world by scrapping it now."

Defence Review must take up Trident, says CND

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today welcomed the Government's announcement of a review of defence priorities but warned that "without taking decisions on mega-projects like Trident, the review will just be avoiding the huge white elephant in the room". CND will be pressing the Government to ensure that calls for Trident replacement to be scrapped - which have recently come from across the political spectrum and from the upper echelons of the armed forces - are fully examined in the review.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said:
"We welcome this review - British defence policy is still mired in Cold War thinking. But this report will be meaningless if it fails to examine the biggest imminent decision in defence policy - that of the £76bn Trident replacement programme. With Gordon Brown set to release billions for the design of new submarines during the Parliamentary recess this September, the need for a review is urgent. But if it does not take decisions on mega-projects like Trident, the review will just be avoiding the huge white elephant in the room. Given the severe economic hardship the country is facing, even those who were once the strongest defenders of nuclear weapons are now questioning whether such expenditure can be justified on a system which senior armed-forces figures have described as 'militarily useless'.

"Scrapping Trident replacement would also boost efforts to combat the spread of nuclear weapons. As President Obama said only yesterday, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons 'starts with the reduction of our own nuclear arsenal' noting that established nuclear powers 'must lead by example'. Britain has an excellent opportunity to seize the moral leadership in this sphere by scrapping Trident replacement and leading other countries into the multilateral disarmament process.

"The defence review should include a full and open ended examination of the merits of scrapping Trident replacement - both in global political terms and the benefits from freeing up resources for other more relevant projects. Some are suggesting that like-for-like replacement is too expensive and that Britain can go for a cheaper option. But we urge the government to pursue full nuclear disarmament. Replacing Trident with other forms of nuclear weapons will not deal with the problems of global proliferation that we ourselves are contributing to by failing to disarm. Britain must contribute fully to President Obama's aim of a world free of nuclear weapons - this review presents an excellent opportunity to pursue this."

The MoD's current schedule will see ministers take a decision on the scope and capabilities of the replacement system (the 'Initial Gate') during the Parliamentary recess this September, when there is no possibility for scrutiny in the Commons. The decision is expected to commit upwards of £2.1bn to the programme. Over 160 MPs have now signed EDM 660 calling for a Parliamentary debate before this decision is taken to proceed to the next stage in the replacement process. The Foreign Affairs Committee also recommended a further Parliamentary debate in its recent report on global security and non-proliferation. To date, the government has refused to allow any debate to take place, even though the decision will come at a sensitive time, just before Labour Party conference.

CND welcomes planned US-Russia nuclear cuts

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament warmly welcomes the disarmament goals agreed by Presidents Obama and Medvedev in Moscow today. They plan to conclude a new treaty before the expiry of the START agreement in December which would reduce deployed warhead numbers to between 1,500 and 1,675 compared to the current agreement of between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads each. The agreement is to include the verification measures lacking from recent arms reduction deals which are increasingly necessary as warhead numbers are reduced.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "Today's announcement marks significant progress towards a new and very necessary arms reduction treaty between the powers which hold 90% of all nuclear weapons. This is a 'good start' on the path towards Barack Obama's ultimate goal of the abolition of all nuclear weapons, towards which Britain too must show it is prepared to take concrete disarmament steps. This draft plan also sets out a framework which could be taken forward as a model for drawing in other nuclear states. This includes the verification measures which are vital to ensuring trust as stockpiles are reduced. Removing the vast weapons legacy of the Cold War is also key to meeting the challenges of a world with a growing number of nuclear-armed states. As President Obama said, reducing the arsenals of established nuclear powers is a vital to efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons."

"Obama's message is clear: that the US and Russia cannot show leadership in combating proliferation without also leading the way on disarmamen. This is a message to which Gordon Brown should pay heed. The planned £76bn replacement of Britain's Trident system cuts against the ever-strengthening trend of world opinion and has been cited by countries such as Iran in seeking to justify their own developments. Today's agreement aims to reduce delivery systems by a third, yet Britain plans to maintain its fleet of four submarines - the same posture it has held since the 60s. Instead of signing initial contracts behind closed-doors in September, Brown should immediately put Trident replacement on hold and begin a full Review of the issue."

Anti-Trident protest within Parliament, campaigners risk arrest in silent protest

Thirteen campaigners from the groups Trident Ploughshares and Women in Black (London) have joined together in a dignified and silent protest within the Central Lobby of the Palace of Westminster, protesting at the illegal and undemocratic decision to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system, being made by the Government behind closed doors. Entering the lobby of the House of Commons at 2p.m today. they stood silently in a circle displaying t-shirts with the message 'Disarm Nuclear Weapons Now', whilst waiting to lobby their MPs. They are refusing to move and are risking arrest.

Their action highlights the need for the Government to engage in the debate already raging amongst commentators, military and security experts and members of the public over the plan to commit £76bn to replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. A decision on the next stage of the Trident replacement process is due to take place in September, during the Parliamentary recess.

Angie Zelter, one of the Trident Ploughshares protesters said, 'The Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Geneva Conventions, are being breached by the UK. If our Government is sincere about trying to stop terrorism then it should get rid of its own weapons of mass terrorism and stop its preparations for mass murder, and neither update nor replace Trident. Only a sincere and honest commitment to international law will bring the peace and justice the world needs to co-operate fully in solving the many crises, like climate chaos, that are confronting us'.

Liz Khan, from Women in Black London, said, 'The Government is taking fundamental decisions on the replacement of Trident in secret, behind closed doors. This is undemocratic. Given the current economic situation, blowing over £100bn on a useless weapon of mass destruction should surely be a matter for public scrutiny and debate. Our action today is part of the process of bringing this issue out into the open'.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: "Next week Presidents Obama and Medvedev look set to agree huge cuts in their nuclear arsenals - perhaps by as much as 50%. The clear international trend is towards disarmament - unilateral, bilateral and multilateral. The UK must not stand apart from that by committing huge amounts of taxpayers money to renewing a system designed for the Cold War which has no relevance to the threats of the 21st century. Gordon Brown has said he wants to listen more - he should start by heeding the call from 85 of his own backbenchers not to commit over £2bn to Trident Replacement during the parliamentary recess, when there is no chance for democratic scrutiny."

The MoD's current schedule will see ministers take a decision on the scope and capabilities of the replacement system (the 'Initial Gate') during the Parliamentary recess this September, when there is no possibility for scrutiny in the Commons. The decision is expected to commit upwards of £2.1bn to the programme. Over 160 MPs have now signed EDM 660 calling for a Parliamentary debate before this decision is taken to proceed to the next stage in the replacement process. The Foreign Affairs Committee also recommended a further Parliamentary debate in its recent report on global security and non-proliferation. To date, the government have refused to allow any debate to take place, even though the decision will come at a sensitive time, just before Labour Party conference.

CND calls 'No to US Missile Defence' demo at Fylingdales radar this Saturday

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has called a march to the gates of Fylingdales radar station this Saturday 13th June, to protest against British involvement in US Missile Defence.

Demonstrators will meet at Ellerbeck, around a mile away from the main gates of the base near Whitby in North Yorkshire to hear speeches from Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, Yorkshire Green candidate in the recent European elections Martin Hemingway, and direct action activists Lindis Percy and Sylvia Boyes.

Those attending will also hear from Czech activist Jana Glivicka, who has been a leading figure in the campaigns against the proposed US Missile Defence radar near Prague. The new interim Czech government has agreed not to seek ratification of the treaties agreed with the US by its predecessor and has begun removing the razor-wire fence from the proposed site of the base.

After the rally, those attending will march up the road to the gates of Fylingdales to protest at Britain's involvement in US Missile Defence, where they will present a letter to the base commander Wing Commander Greg Hammond.

The demonstration comes following a new opinion poll released by CND today which shows the strength of opposition in Britain to the European deployment of US Missile Defence (see note 3). The poll shows almost three fifths (58%) of people agree that the siting of components of the US Missile Defence system in the UK and Europe will increase international tension between the US and Russia and, as a result, increase the threat to UK and European security, compared to less than 1 in 5 (19%) who disagree. A further question showed over half (53%) of the public agree that the Obama administration should cancel the plans for the bases in Europe, compared to only 1 in 5 (20% exactly) who disagree. The opinion poll results correspond with those of similar polls conducted in Poland and the Czech Republic (see note 4).

Quotes

Kate Hudson, CND Chair said: "This poll shows that people in Britain feel exactly the same as people in Poland, the Czech Republic and across Europe. They do not support US Missile Defence bases in Britain or elsewhere in Europe - bases which are destabilising US and European relations with Russia and make us the front line in any future conflict. Gordon Brown would benefit from showing some real leadership by announcing plans to close the missile defence bases in Yorkshire and by urging Barack Obama to abandon US Missile Defence altogether."

Jana Glivicka, from Ne Zakladnam (No to Bases) in the Czech Republic, said: "CND has worked closely with Ne Zakladnam since the very beginning of our campaign so I'm pleased to come and talk about our work over the past three years. Demonstrations and other forms of public pressure have led to the withdrawal of the radar agreements from the Czech Parliament and finally to the fall of the pro-radar government. The developments for us are positive, but we need a strong international movement to win the fight and I will be here to show the support of the Czech campaign for this demonstration."