The decision by Sir Keir Starmer to abolish the post of Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament is a backwards step and must be reversed.
Fabian speaks at the CND fringe meeting at Labour Conference in 2019 – alongside current Shadow Foreign Sec David Lammy
Fabian Hamilton had carried out the role with distinction from its creation in 2016. Not only did he build links between the Labour Party and civil society working on issues around militarism, peace and disarmament, but he also engaged with the United Nations on issues including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Fabian has been a strong advocate for peace and nuclear disarmament, which perhaps ultimately led to him being asked to stand down. Without a dedicated voice for peace and disarmament in the shadow Foreign Office team there is a real danger of losing focus on non-proliferation and arms controls that are necessary to address Britain’s real security needs.
Labour must be a party firmly rooted in international law. The next Labour government must recommit to our existing international Treaty obligations on nuclear disarmament as well as engaging constructively with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Labour Party members will not allow the party to further embrace militarism and pro-war policies while turning its back on the path to peace.
In thanking Fabian Hamilton for his work on nuclear disarmament, Labour CND calls on Sir Keir Starmer to immediately reverse this decision and reinstate the Peace and Disarmament role on the front bench.
Our online conferfence this year focuses on high military spending in a time of austerity, with panel discussions on the rising costs of militarism and workers security. Join Warren Smith Maritime Union of Australia, Sam Mason PCS Policy Officer, Peter Evans UCU NEC, Economist Mick Burke, and more.
Wages Not Weapons Conference is followed by our online AGM, 13.30 to 15.00. This is a members only meeting, open to CND members who are members of the Labour Party. Email labourcnd@gmail.com to register
In her latest climate blog, Sam Mason argues that Labour must have a strategic climate plan from day one of taking office. The watering down of Labour’s recent commitment to block new North Sea oil and gas licences for reasons of political expediency bodes ill for a green future.
AS THE MET OFFICE ISSUED THEIR FIRST HEAT WAVE WARNING of the summer and pictures of New York engulfed in smoke from the “out of control” Canadian wildfires fill our TV screens, you would think people were starting to join the dots on climate change. Indeed, the announcement that Labour will block new north sea oil and gas licences was a positive step that along with the commitments for a green prosperity fund seemed to show the party was doing just this.
Unfortunately, what we have seen is that a week is indeed a long time in climate politics. Both commitments have been melting away in tune with the rising thermometer and the Labour Party is bowing, not to the realities of climate change, but political expedience.
Watering down the committment on North Sea oil and gas licences is bowing to political expediency
Unite similarly attacked the announcement as headline grabbing and a promise of “jam tomorrow” but, with an important difference. Unite emphasised need for detailed transition plans for workers in the North Sea led through a process of collective bargaining that guarantees jobs, pay and conditions for all workers and supporting industries. A demand they are right to insist on together with public ownership of energy.
IN THE FIGHT TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE – life and livelihoods cannot be decoupled. Whether that is for workers in the north sea or the millions in East Africa who have been impacted by the worst drought for 40 years. A war of words on yet to happen pledges of action won’t put food on the table for any worker or address the urgent need to take serious action to decarbonise the economy.
Rachel Reeve is back-tracking on Labour’s green prosperity spending
The science of climate change doesn’t care about fiscal responsibility, and its impacts on the economy will only increase the further we are from taking action. Damage to infrastructure and social consequences such as on health all bring additional costs and burdens on already struggling public services. Investment in the work needed for both mitigation and measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change will not only be good for the UK, but also globally.
While the UK has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions in the transition from coal to natural gas in the 1980’s it remains one of the largest contributors to cumulative CO2 emissions. This underlines the historic responsibility of the UK to fulfil its “fair share” in climate funding for countries on the frontline of climate impacts, namely in the global south, and to ensure a transition rooted in justice that recognises the disastrous impacts on communities here of the past deindustrialisation. This funding means having a plan and putting serious investment behind it from day one.
Reversing Labour’s commitment to nuclear weapons could free up billions for strong public services and a just transition for workers
And if Rachel Reeves is concerned about where they will find the money from, there are two obvious places they could start with – nuclear. Reversing the commitment to nuclear weapons and Trident renewal would free-up billions to invest in energy transition, warm homes, strong public services and a just transition for workers that would secure jobs and ensure protections of livelihoods.
This second is removing the fetish with nuclear power, the most expensive form of energy. Whilst Keir Starmer has said the Tories have been a “shambolic failure” in delivering on nuclear energy, the historic failure of nuclear power projects to deliver on time and budget should be enough in itself to say it provides neither energy or climate security. Hinkley Point C backers EDF have announced further delays and billions of cost increases.
Keir Starmer asserting such delays would be avoided because they would have a “strategic plan with real purpose” is to the contrary. Any plan including nuclear power would continue to add to the delays in accelerating the renewable energy transition, developing storage capacity, and reducing energy consumption by transforming buildings and public transport. All of which would be jobs rich.
In what could be a long, over hot summer, the only ‘lobby’ the party should be listening to is the climate, which is telling us through our lived experience of climate impacts not least on workers across the globe, we are running out of time for politician’s lack of strategic vision on this.
Despite the severest cost of living crisis in most of our memories, the Chancellor’s Spring Statement increased the Ministry of Defence budget by £5 billion in the next two years, with a total increase of £11bn over the next 5 years.
Forecast organisations are predicting the UK will be the worst performing economy of all G20 countries in 2023, and will have shrunk by 0.3% by the end of this year. Funding nuclear weapons and war are being pursued at the expense of workers wages.
Labour CND’s model motion for this year’s Labour Party conference argues that high military spending restricts the action governments can take in defence of the public sector and workers pay. We’re calling for an in-coming Labour government to:
increase investment and promote growth
improve public services
provide an emergency support package to off-set the cost-of-living crisis, and
take effective action to tackle climate change.
It you agree with us, please encourage your local party to send this motion for debate at Labour’s 2023 conference. Download our motion which includes an explainer with some facts, figures, and arguments to help you make the case in your CLP.
Labour CND joins the many organisations and individuals across the Labour movement and beyond calling for the Labour whip to be restored to Diane Abbott MP., the first black woman in parliament. Labour Black Socialists outlines Diane’s record in an eloquent and compelling call to restore the whip.
Diane has been as staunch an opponent of nuclear weapons and war as she has been a campaigner against racism. She has joined many Labour CND platforms for over 30 years.
LBS has launched a petition pointing out Diane record at the forefront of anti-racism campaigns and supporting communities and families who have been victims of racist policing, school exclusions, deaths in custody, racist attacks, murders and the hostile environment policies
Jeremy Corbyn at Glastonbury Festival.. Hundreds of thousands of new young members joined the party when Corbyn became leader, making Labour the largest social democratic party in Europe.
Keir Starmer’s resolution to block Jeremy Corbyn from standing as the Labour candidate for Islington North constituency at the next general election is an attack on Party democracy and on the rights of local Labour Parties.
The right of Party members to choose their own candidates is fundamental to the democracy of the Labour Party. In 2020 Starmer said ‘local Party members should select their candidates for every election’. His about-face at the National Executive Committee in March 2023 represents an attack on the rights of all Party members and affiliates.
It is a shameful disregard of natural justice and of the wishes of the electorate of Islington North who have shown their support for their MP at successive elections over the past 40 years. The implications, however, go beyond one person and one CLP.
It should go without saying that the Party’s processes and procedures must be fair and transparent. The means by which Starmer banned Corbyn from standing as a candidate was neither.
The wording of his NEC resolution was based on the view that Corbyn is an electoral liability. If Labour leaders were to be banned from re-standing as Labour parliamentary candidates on the basis of a bad election result, then Michael Foot, Neil Kinnock, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and many other past leaders would have suffered a similar fate.
In reality, elections are won or lost for a number of reasons. In 2019, Brexit played a significant role in Labour’s defeat. Starmer, Shadow Brexit Secretary at the time, will undoubtedly be aware of this.
This procedure adopted for preventing Corbyn from standing takes power away from the party membership collectively to decide what they believe to be in the best interests of the Labour Party. It transfers that power to a small group of individuals to impose their subjective, and often contested, view of what Labour’s best interests are.
On the basis of such a procedure, the NEC is able to remove whomever the Party leadership may decide should go and for whatever reason. This process encourages factionalism and fosters a climate of suspicion and fear in the Party.
Opposition to removing Islington North CLP’s right to reselect Jeremy Corbyn extends beyond supporters of Corbyn. Labour CND stands with the many local Parties, individual members, and affiliates who believe this decision is wrong and profoundly dangerous.
In a further attack on the rights of members, local Labour Parties are being banned from affiliating to Labour CND and a number of other progressive peace and justice campaigns. Labour CND campaigns within the party for the global abolition of nuclear weapons, including Britain’s Trident system, and for peaceful foreign policies. These ideas merit discussion, these principles deserve support, and we believe the overwhelming majority of party members agree.
Labour CND committee unanimously agreed the following statement in response to the ban. The basis on which the Labour Party has introduced this ban is outlined below.
2023 is the centenary of the birth of Walter Wolfgang. Walter was a childhood refugee from Nazi Germany and later became a member of the party’s National Executive Committee. Walter devoted his life to nuclear disarmament, particularly campaigning in the Labour Party against nuclear weapons as a founding member of Labour CND which works within the party for the global abolition of nuclear weapons, including Britain’s Trident system, and a peaceful foreign policy.
Walter campaigned for a progressive foreign policy and spoke out against the Iraq war. New Labour quickly expressed its regret at the ejection of Walter Wolfgang from the Labour Party Conference in 2005, and the event cemented Walter’s place as a figure in the party.In 2018 the Labour Party awarded Walter a merit award which was presented by then leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Walter died in 2019, but Labour CND’s work continues. For many years Labour CND has campaigned, held fringe meetings, drafted motions, and gained affiliations from Constituency Labour Parties, Branch Labour Parties, and affiliated trade unions.
Labour CND regrets the decision of National Executive Committee to end CLPs’ right to affiliate to Labour Party orientated campaigning groups like Labour CND. We thank all the local parties and affiliates which have supported us over the years. Our work for peace and justice will continue.
A few hours before one London CLP was due to hold its 2023 AGM, a message was received from Labour’s Head of Internal Governance that the CLP could not renew its affiliations without approval from the NEC. To do so would breach party rules.’ The following organisations were listed:
Labour Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Stop the War Coalition
Republic
London Irish
Abortion Rights Campaign
Jewish Voice for Labour
Somalis for Labour
Sikhs for Labour
All African Women’s Group
Health Campaigns Together
Campaign Against Climate Change Trades Union Group
Peace & Justice Project
The email also warned that organisations which are nationally affiliated to the party are eligible to affiliate to any CLP provided they pay the appropriate fee and the CLP cannot debate or decide on their affiliations.
This is yet another attack on the rights of local parties. The basis was laid at 2021 Labour Party conference which passed a series of rule changes promoted by the General Secretary. They included a catch-all rule change which bans local parties from affiliating or donating to organisations without the approval of the National Executive Committee.
Chapter 7, Clause XI .5 of Labour’s 2023 Rule Book now reads: ‘This CLP and units of this CLP shall not enter into affiliation with or give support, financially or otherwise, to any political party or organisation (or ancillary or subsidiary body thereto) without the prior permission of the NEC. Nor shall they give any such support to individuals ineligible for membership of the Party.’
Under CND’s constitution, only members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who are also members of the Labour Party are eligible to participate in Labour CND. We have operated under the same rules and constitution for four decades without experiencing any objections, which provide for affiliations from CLPs, Labour Branches, and Labour affiliates.
Starmer: ‘We will look carefully at details of the military spending announcement, and we will support it.’
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has produced a budget for the few not the many. He has promised a £11 billion worth of military funding, while failing to address the cost of living or climate crisess.
What’s on offer for the MoD? The Ministry of Defence gets a whopping £11 billion more over the next 5 years. It will reach 2.25% of GDP by 2025, with the intention to raise it to 2.5% when fiscal and economic circumstances allow. There’s £5bn extra in the next two years – £2bn this year and £3bn next. Of the £5bn, £3bn goes to nuclear ‘defence’ and the Aukus pact, with the remaining £1.9bn rebuilding Britain’s stockpile of munitions to replace those sent to Ukraine.
Labour’s response Responding to Hunt, Keir Starmer had only one thing to say about the military budget hike: ‘We bill look carefully at the details of the military spending announcement, and we will suppport it.’ This response is simply not good enough from a Labour leader. None of the problems facing Britain can be resolved by nuclear weapons or war.
CND’s response We stand with the workers and trade unions striking for better wages and a better future. Instead of spending unnecessary money on more nuclear warheads, CND calls on the government to guarantee fair wages and real pay rises for all.
Jess Barnard, now a Labour NEC member, was on the first demo at Lakenheath in May2022
In January, the Federation of American Scientists revealed that B61-12s nuclear bombs have been cleared for transport to bases in Europe, including Britain. They are the United States newest guided nuclear bombs, the same type used on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945, though considerably more powerful of course.
Their locations in Europe will include RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk which last year became the sixth nuclear base in Europe funded by the US. Guided nuclear bombs were stored at Lakenheath until 2008. The silo facilities at are still intact there.
Peace campaigners only became aware of plans by the US to station nuclear weapons in Britain again when sharp eyes spotted that the US Department of Defense had added the UK to a list of NATO nuclear weapons storage facilities in Europe, which are to be ‘upgraded’ at a cost of millions of dollars. The British Government tried to keep this news secret – Parliamentary CND was originally told by the Ministry of Defence that they could ‘neither confirm nor deny’ the reports that nuclear weapons would be returning to Lakenheath, on the grounds that this was purely the business of the United States!
Irresponsible British media outlets have given this news almost no coverage, yet the weapons pose a danger to everyone in the country, particularly people in the Southeast of the country. Lakenheath, is only 70 miles north of the capital city. Millions of people live within range of the blast and radiation in the event of a terrorist attack on the base or even from some kind of accident involving the weapons.
The US aircraft which would be needed to transport the bombs to their targets are already at Lakenheath. This would be an extremely dangerous development at any time, but the war in Ukraine and increasing global tensions, with calls for NATO members to increase their military spending and step up military aid to Ukraine, put Britain on the front line in a future NATO/Russia war.
Nuclear weapons have now been declared illegal by a UN Treaty, yet the US and NATO still insist that they are vital for our defence and national security. We have to make it clear that the weapons make us a target and actually threaten our security, as well as destabilising international relations.
When nuclear weapons were stored at RAF Lakenhurst previously, there were 110 bombs kept there – enough to render the planet uninhabitable by humans and many other forms of life. After a sustained public protest led by CND, the weapons were removed from the base in 2008. Clearly, constant vigilance is needed to make sure they don’t return.
London CND will be at the US Embassy onTuesday 21 Marchto say thanks but no thanks – we don’t want these weapons of mass and indiscriminate destruction stationed on UK soil.
The Centre Left Grassroots Alliance (CLGA) has agreed unified slates for the National Women’s Committee, the National Constitutional Committee and the Conference Arrangements Committee. Although members’ eyes are inclined to glaze over at the mention of elections to these bodies, all of them are vitally important for defending democracy and members’ rights in the Labour Party.
The CLGA supported members of the National Women’s Committee have done excellent work supporting women and calling for the reinstatement of a standalone Women’s Conference. Unfortunately, despite their campaigning, this year’s Women’s Conference is just one day tacked onto the beginning of the Annual Conference in Liverpool. The members of the Women’s Committee will be elected by delegates to the Women’s Conference, so it is important to select delegates who support the work that has been done and needs to continue.
There are also positions up for election on the National Constitutional Committee (NCC) which deals with disciplinary issues, and the Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) which organises conference business. They are also to be voted on by delegates to Annual Conference, part of anti-democratic moves away from one member, one vote ballots. OMOV was only brought in for national committees in the first place because the then General Secretary couldn’t ensure that there was no interference from Party staff during elections amongst Conference delegates!
The NCC is very important to try and ensure due process and justice for members faced with disciplinary action from the Party. The CLGA members on the CAC are vital to try and prevent constituency resolutions being ruled out of order for spurious reasons, and to try and allocate more time at Conference for delegates and less for the platform.
Members have until 12 noon on Friday, 23 June to get their CLP to nominate the CLGA-recommended candidates, but don’t leave it till the last minute! CLPD have made candidate statements for all three elections available on their website. That is also the last date to nominate Conference delegates and putting forward Constitutional Amendments (Rule Changes).
There are no National Executive Committee elections this year.
