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London CND conference

London CND’s conference on how the world’s shaping up under President Trump is looking good. It’s soon! Saturday 13 January, 12 noon to 5pm at the School of Oriental and African Studies campus.

The event begins with a live link-up with one of America’s leading anti-war activists, Brian Becker of the Answer Coalition. It’s followed by The shape of things to come – a plenary focussing on nuclear challenges and opportunities, with Catherine West MP, Costa Rican Ambassador Enrique Castillo whose country led the global nuclear ban talks at the UN, and former UK UK ambassador to North Korea Jim Hoare.

The second plenary focuses on the Middle East and includes Sami Ramadani, Iraqi Democrats and Stop the War Steering Committee member. And the final session looks at campaigning for change, with Molly Scott Cato MEP and student and Labour activists.

Book your free ticket now via Eventbrite or London CND
 info@londoncnd.org   020 7607 2302
email Georgia at London CND info@londoncnd.org

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Memorial for Helen John

Sunday 10 December

Helen John, a co-founder of Greenham Women’s Peace Camp and a long-time nuclear disarmament and anti-war activist, died on 5 November aged 80.

A public memorial for Helen’s friends and supporters will take place at the Kirkgate Centre, Shipley BD18 3EH at 2pm Sunday 10 December, arranged by Helen’s son Magnus.

There will be a short humanist service, which includes an open mic for those who want to say a few words about Helen. The celebrant was at Greenham Common and is a long-time a member of Yorkshire CND who knew her.

This ceremony is held near Otley and Keighley where Helen lived in the latter part of her life, and nearby the care home where she spent her final years.

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BAE Systems and Defense Diversification

Today the Morning Star reported that BAE Systems is set to announce the loss of 1000 jobs from it’s jet fighter construction sites in Lancashire. This will produce tremendous hardship for the individuals concerned as well as for the community and ultimately the Country.

This workforce is highly skilled and highly paid. Once again we see that the Arms Industry does not provide secure jobs. Steve Turner of Unite asks that the next generation of fighter jets be built in this country. This is NOT the answer. People are not buying these planes, hence the job losses.

The only way to provide secure, sustainable jobs is to look to diversify the Arms Industry, producing socially useful products, not planes designed to kill, often innocent men, women and children. Such planes as these are being used by Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen adding to the devastation of that Country. We now have a chance to look seriously at diversification into such as off-shore wind power generation using the skills of this workforce. Such a programme has been proposed by the Labour Party through it’s shadow Defence Diversification Agency.

The Arms Industry kills. We need more electricity generating capacity. Off-shore wind and tidal power are ways of doing it at the same time protecting the jobs of this workforce.

 

Dr Christopher Butler, Yorkshire Labour CND rep.

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“We need to avoid a nuclear apocalypse” – Corbyn statement on Nobel peace prize

This is the full statement published by Jeremy Corbyn on LabourList after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a coalition of hundreds of NGOs based in Geneva.

Congratulations to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on its well-deserved award of the Nobel Peace Prize.

I’m proud to have worked with ICAN for the goal of a nuclear free world for many years and the Nobel Committee’s call for serious global nuclear disarmament talks demands an urgent response.

The need to avoid a nuclear apocalypse, killing millions upon millions of innocents and wrecking our planet. is becoming ever more pressing. Sadly, Theresa May and the Conservatives have tried to turn the issue into a party political game.

They are deeply irresponsible. Acting to prevent war, especially nuclear war, should be the starting point of any serious and sensible defence and foreign policy.

The tensions on the Korean Peninsula underline the urgency of the nuclear powers’ obligation under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to bring about nuclear disarmament.

We have to wind down the rhetoric now. As a member of the [United Nations] Security Council, Britain has an important responsibility and role to play. The next Labour government will ensure Britain takes a lead in strengthening global peace and security.

Reproduced from LabourList

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Korean Peninsula
THE SHADOW OF NUCLEAR WAR

The crisis on the Korean Peninsula is bringing the region closer to open military conflict than it’s been for many years, with unimaginable humanitarian consequences. By accident or design, the actions by North Korea and the United States could result in a nuclear detonation.

The war of words between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, reflects escalating provocations on both sides.

On 7 July the UN adopted the first-ever, legally-binding Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The UK boycotted the UN’s global nuclear ban negotiations. Britain greeted the treaty’s adoption with a statement signed jointly with the US and France, declaring: ‘We do not intend to sign, ratify or ever become party to it.’

A month later, President Trump was threatening ‘fire and fury like the world has never seen’.

Continue reading “Korean Peninsula
THE SHADOW OF NUCLEAR WAR”

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A Minister for Peace and Disarmament

Wednesday 11th October, 6.30pm to 8.00pm
Wilson Room, Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JR

with

Fabian Hamilton MP, Labour Shadow Peace and Disarmament Minister
Christine Shawcroft, Labour Party National Executive Committee
Daniel Blaney, Labour CND

Fifty three countries signed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 20 September, the first day it opened for signature. But the UK government has refused ever to sign it. Labour’s manifesto promises to create a Minister for Peace and Disarmament, part of its commitment to reducing human suffering caused by war by focussing on protecting civilians, conflict prevention and resolution, and peace-building, London CND asks if and how these policies can reshape the war culture of past decades.

All welcome

 

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Keep Space for Peace

The Pentagon is starting to spend £200m at Croughton, building the new Joint Intelligence Analysis Centre, developing this base’s communication, command and control systems into a ‘major intelligence base’.

Oxford CND invites you to a march and rally at USAF Croughton, on Saturday 7th October, 12.00 noon – 4.00pm. See details on below leaflet and map.

Continue reading “Keep Space for Peace”