Tue. June 22, 2010
What about the White Elephant in the Room – British Nuclear Weapons?
On Budget Day when the British people are facing increased taxation and stringent cuts in public services, CND Cymru is calling on the Government to make the easiest and most far reaching cut of all – to scrap the current nuclear weapons system, Trident (1). Costly plans, already going ahead at AWE Aldermaston (2) to replace Trident with new nuclear weapons will cost the British Taxpayer at least a further £76 billion (3). Nuclear weapons are not only costly, they are immoral, internationally illegal (4), and their use would be catastrophic.
Jill Gough, National Secretary of CND Cymru said today:
“Nuclear weapons are not only immoral and ridiculously expensive. With the threat of Climate Change and the challenge of decreasing resources, conflict in the world is likely to increase. Nuclear threats, proliferation and technology will only exacerbate the problem. Instead of arming themselves, it would be wiser for nation states to invest in conflict prevention measures, upholding human rights, working to conserve resources and to halt climate change.
The procurement of a new updated British nuclear weapons system gives a green light to other now non-nuclear states to develop their own nuclear weapons. Is this really how we want to spend British taxpayers’ money – at a time when public services are being cut? “
Jill Evans MEP and Chair of CND Cymru commented:
“Its a scandal that the government is inflicting massive cuts on the people of Wales when they could save billions at a stroke by cancelling the Trident nuclear weapons system. Most people would choose a good quality health service, successful schools and proper care and support for those who most need it rather than nuclear weapons. Trident can’t defend us against any of the real threats we face today. Now is the time to scrap it.”
ENDS
Notes:
(1) Running costs of existing Trident 2007-2023: £26-31 billion Keith Hartley, ‘The Economics of UK Nuclear Weapons Policy’, International Affairs, Vol. 82, No.4, pp.675-684, for military equipment a 10% rise in real terms each year is suggested, p. 684)
(2) http://www.cnduk.org/images/stories/briefings/trident/cost_british_nweapons_07.pdf Aldermaston: www.aldermaston.net/awe
(3) A concise discussion of some of the cost increases which have emerged since the 2006 White Paper in the latest briefing sent out to MPs: http://www.cnduk.org/images/stories/briefings/trident/parlcndtridentsdsr_june2010.pdf
Bilingual interviews are available.
CONTACTS:
CND Cymru – Please update your records with these details if necessary
National Secretary, Jill Gough t: 01239 85 11 88 m: 07704 675787 heddwch@cndcymru.org
For interview:
Jill Evans MEP Chair of CND Cymru: t: 01443 440 999
Dr John Cox Vice Chair CND Cymru: 01495 773 495
Cllr. Ray Davies Vice Chair CND Cymru: 02920 889 514
CND Cymru: www.cndcymru.org
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Britain): www.cnduk.org
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From Cllr. Ray Davies (CND Cymru Vice Chair) to the press:
When will we have political leaders who have the guts to stand up to the generals, admirals and air commodores, and tell them :
we don’t need Trident to carry on pointlessly traversing the oceans of the world with its useless nuclear warheads.
Blair, Brown and now Cameron have all fallen at the feet of the military to do their bidding. Yet this country is now on the threshold of a major financial crisis, which will see the worst cuts in public service expenditure since before the first world war.
Already in Caerphilly we have lost 300 jobs, with more to come. This is replicated throughout the country- in cuts to the Tax Office, Jobcentres, cancellation of new hospital buildings and schools,- cuts which could drive us into a 30′s like depression.
No service, they say, is immune from cuts; yet the only expense singled out for ring fencing is Trident.
The UK military has spent £20 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now Nick Clegg states in Parliament that the cost of Trident would exceed £100 billion; more than the whole of the budget for schools, hospitals, roads and transport.
This is absolutely obscene.
What do we get for all that military expenditure? Generals searching the globe for a remote area where we can find an excuse for the next armed conflict to justify their existence.
One day, just maybe, we might have brave leaders who say, enough is enough, who are willing to stop the insanity of nuclear arms.
Oh for a budget that ring fences schools, hospitals and public services, and cuts nuclear weapons.
Yours sincerely
Ray Davies
Vice chair,CND Cymru
