Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

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'Parliament and decisions over US Missile Defence' and 'Nuclear Weapons Convention'. Visit our Parliamentary page for model letters.

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Government under pressure on US Missile Defence

The government is facing renewed pressure from MPs for a debate on British involvement in US Missile Defence as public concern grows.

A new YouGov opinion poll shows that increasing numbers of the British public believe the system will increase the security threat to the UK. 61% of those polled said they agreed that the siting of US missiles and early warning bases in Europe, as part of the US Missile Defence system, is increasing tension between the US and Russia and, as a result, is increasing the threat to British and European security. Only 17% disagreed.

Over 50 Labour MPs, including former Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle, former Foreign Minister Chris Mullin and former Deputy Leader candidate Jon Cruddas have signed a statement highlighting the opposition of their sister parties in Poland and the Czech Republic, as they call for the debate to be reopened. Labour’s Czech sister party, the Social Democrats, has won convincing victories over the governing Civic Democrats two weekends in a row, helped by their campaigning against the proposed US Missile Defence radar.

The election of Barack Obama as US President opens opportunities for the British government to renegotiate its commitment to the US Missile Defence system. Though he has not declared he will bring it to a close, Obama has made a range of statements sceptical of the system, saying in February, "I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space."

>> Peter Kilfoyle MP writes for the Guardian's Comment is Free, click here to read.
>> Matthew Taylor writes on the Guardian's website, click here to read.

>> See the statement and opinion poll results here.

Lobby your MP to call for a debate

Use our simple email tool to quickly contact your MP asking for a debate on British involvement in the US Missile Defence system and the implications for British and European security. Click here to lobby your MP

Hundreds blockade AWE Aldermaston

Protestors at Tadley Gate. Credit Dawn Rothwell

Hundreds of protesters joined the recent big blockade of the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, as five gates were shut to prevent builders and other staff entering the facility. CND supported the action, which served to highlight the enormous building programme and spending of billions of pounds at the site, including the new ORION laser.

The protest follows the Channel 4 news report on the shocking implications of last year's flooding at the nearby Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield. Almost all of the buildings in the nuclear Assembly Area, where Trident warheads are dismantled for maintenance, were inundated by floodwater, at the time of major flooding in the region.

Alarm systems were knocked out by the flooding and despite being ‘within 2 to 3 hours’ of potentially radioactive water being released into the Berkshire countryside, no site emergency was declared, nor were the Environment Agency or local authorities informed. Ministers told MPs that only "minor disruption" had occurred.

See reports of the blockade at BBC, The Guardian, The Mirror and a video from Newbury Today.
For photos, click here.

No to NATO: 60th anniversary protests

NATO’s ongoing expansion into former Soviet republics, and its ‘out of area operations’, are helping make the world a more dangerous place. NATO is a nuclear-armed alliance with a nuclear ‘first strike’ policy. Britain's own nuclear weapons are assigned to NATO, and each advance of the NATO border increases the possibility of military involvement in other countries' local disputes. Recent events in the Caucasus are a clear indication of the dangers. The rapid increase in tension and the involvement of military forces in a regional dispute show the great risk of a sudden and catastrophic spread of war.

NATO will mark its 60th anniversary this coming April with a series of celebratory events, including a conference of political and military leaders in Strasbourg. Campaigners from across Europe believe this is an occasion for protest not celebration, and we will come together to counter this with a programme of activities. We will demonstrate that NATO is a dangerous relic of the past, which promotes rather than diminishes the likelihood of conflict.

The activities will include a demonstration on Saturday 4th April, an international conference from Thursday 2nd April to Sunday 5th April, direct action and civil disobedience, and an international youth camp from Wednesday 1st April to Sunday 5th April. See here for the appeal to campaigners and further details.

CND and the Stop the War Coalition are currently in the process of planning transport from the UK to Strasbourg. Please phone Ben Folley on 0207 700 2393 for details.

Read the CND briefing on NATO and its ongoing expansion through Europe.