Trident is expensive
The government wants to spend over £100 billion on a new nuclear weapons system. This is an appalling waste of money. Cancelling the Trident replacement would mean we could instead invest in our troops, building more ships and aircraft. We could invest billions in the NHS, make our schools and universities better, build new homes and develop renewable energy sources. In other words, things we need.
Trident does not keep us safe
In terms of national security, nuclear weapons are irrelevant. Britain currently faces no nuclear threat and Trident is useless in addressing the real problems we face such as terrorism, cyber warfare and climate change. Nuclear weapons actually put us at risk and make us less safe. They make us a target, encourage other countries to get them and the risk of accidents or miscalculation is high.
Most of the world doesn’t want nuclear weapons
Britain is in the minority possessing nuclear weapons. In fact, over a hundred governments have signed a pledge calling for them to be outlawed. Germany and Japan are economically and politically important countries and they do not possess nuclear weapons. The UK even committed to disarming in 1968, when it signed an international treaty.
Trident is illegal
Nuclear weapons have no legitimate purpose: their use would be illegal under almost every conceivable circumstance, as huge numbers of civilian casualties would be unavoidable. That is why the International Court of Justice ruled in 1996 the threat or use of nuclear weapons would be contrary to the rules of international law.
Trident is not the jobs provider it claims to be
Replacing Britain’s nuclear weapons system sustains only a small number of jobs in relation to the money spent. Research has shown that if we scrapped Trident, 7,000 jobs would be lost compared to the 62,000 that could be created if the annual running cost was invested in the housing sector instead for example. A government-led economic diversification plan would minimise the job losses should Trident be scrapped.
It is time to STOP TRIDENT
Veterans For Peace UK are supporting a major national demonstration called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) to Stop Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system. To make sure this will be the biggest protest against nukes in a generation, we need your help. You can get involved in the following ways:
- Confirm your attendance on facebook
- Get involved in action days which will mobilise for the event
- Contact information@cnduk.org / 020 7700 2393 if you would like to volunteer to arrange transport for the demo, request a local media pack or steward on the day
Together we can show the government the scale of the opposition to its plans for nuclear bombs. Let’s Stop Trident.
Details
Assemble 12 noon • Saturday 27 February 2016 • Location Central London • Meeting point is Marble Arch
March to Trafalgar Square Rally with contributions from a range of political & celebrity speakers
Supporting organisations: Campaign Against Arms Trade, Compass, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Friends of the Earth, The Green Party of England & Wales, Greenpeace, International Peace Bureau, Medact, Movement for the Abolition of War, Muslim Association of Britain, Pax Christi, People’s Assembly, Quakers, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Stop the War, Veterans for Peace, War on Want, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom: WILPF.
Veterans For Peace UK 