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Let’s step up the pressure on Trident

Putting Britain’s WMD destruction at centre-stage in the run-up to the election is crucial if we’re to force the Labour Party to change its stance, writes KATE HUDSON

ARE you opposed to nuclear weapons?

To indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction?

To a small number of powerful nuclear-armed states having the power to wipe out the world at the press of a button?

To the hypocrisy of the British government buying new nuclear weapons when it is legally required to disarm? To our public services being cut in order to pay for these weapons?

If so it’s time to stand up and be counted. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get rid of Britain’s nuclear weapons.

A decision will be made in early 2016 on whether or not to replace Trident at a cost of over £100 billion, so the time to act is now.
If you take action you won’t be alone.

You’ll be with the overwhelming majority of states who are demanding global disarmament and the many states who are pressing for a global nuclear ban treaty.

You’ll be with the TUC and the many trade unions who call for scrapping Trident and the investment of our money into sustainable jobs and industry — to rebuild our economy and society to meet the needs of the people.

You’ll be with the many faith communities, anti-cuts organisation, the People’s Assembly against Austerity, the anti-poverty groups, the development organisations like War on Want.

In short, you’ll stand with all right-thinking and decent people who want to see Britain as a force for peace and justice in the world, not a nuclear-armed bully.

There are many reasons why the majority are against replacing Trident. The moral and legal arguments are fundamental, and the cost is something affects on us all.

Take the NHS as an example. We are seeing a massive crisis facing hospital accident and emergency departments.

In the week before Christmas just 83.1 per cent of patients were seen within four hours.

These departments need more money.

The government says there isn’t any, but that same week Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced that the government was to spend an extra quarter of a billion pounds on Trident replacement this year — even though a decision to replace it hasn’t yet been taken. That money should have gone into the NHS.

And that’s in addition to the £2-3bn we spend every year on running the existing Trident system.

So there’s clearly no shortage of money. It’s a question of priorities and what our government chooses to spend money on.

In keeping nuclear weapons, our government is making the wrong choice. It is a choice that robs us of the opportunity to enrich our economy and society in so many different ways — through regeneration of the NHS, or free university education, or a massive social housing programme.

Putting Trident centre-stage in the election campaign is crucial. It is vital that every candidate knows that their position on Trident will affect the votes they get.

Please go to CND’s website and use our online system to lobby all your local candidates, at act.cnduk.org/lobby/candidates.

It won’t take you more than a few moments.

This week Trident has been at the top of the political agenda, right where it should be, thanks to the determined anti-Trident position of the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green MP Caroline Lucas.

Together they called a debate in Parliament against Trident replacement.

Not surprisingly given the pro-Trident stance of the main parties, the motion was defeated — but there are two lessons we can learn from this. First, MPs have to be brought in line with the popular will — hence the importance of lobbying.

Second, that most Labour MPs didn’t turn up to vote — including Ed Miliband.

Are they keeping their options open? We must step up the pressure on Labour to change.

They may form the next government, and if it’s a minority government they may well be dependent on the support of the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Greens, who have already said that Trident is a red line issue for them.

So one possible scenario, post-election, is that if Labour wants to govern it will have to shift on Trident.

How possible is a Labour shift? The Blair government led the charge in 2007 to get parliamentary approval to begin the concept and design work on Trident replacement.

And despite strong opposition to Trident inside the party, the Labour leadership remains committed to what it quaintly describes as “a minimum credible independent nuclear deterrent.”

But it would be wrong to assume there has been no movement in Labour’s position. Recent policy suggests some room for change — in the event of a Labour government, Trident will be included in the next strategic defence and security review.

That may not sound like much, but in fact the last review, under the coalition government in 2010, just assumed that Trident would be replaced without any examination, even though the same government’s National Security Strategy actually downgraded the threat of state-on-state nuclear attack.

Given the general view that nuclear weapons have no military use whatsoever, a thoroughgoing strategic assessment is an obvious and necessary step.

And a statement from Labour shadow defence minister Vernon Coaker in this week’s debate that “no steel will be cut on a single successor submarine until approval is granted by this sovereign Parliament,” suggests that Labour is committed to a parliamentary vote on Trident.

That’s a positive step away from the behind-closed-doors approach that is so typical on nuclear and military issues.

So you can see that the possibilities and opportunities are there for us.

Now let’s work to deliver on these possibilities through lobbying, campaigning and protesting — tomorrow at Parliament and across the country over the next months.

Now let’s do what it takes to win.

Kate Hudson is general secretary of CND.
 
The Wrap Up Trident mass demonstration will gather outside the Ministry of Defence, Horseguards Avenue, London at midday tomorrow. A march from Whitehall to Parliament Square will begin at 1pm, concluding with a 2pm rally at Old Palace Yard.

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