The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) passes into international law on 22 January. The Labour Party has yet to commit to signing Britain up. Read about the Treaty here and visit CND’s website to find out what you can do about it.
Helensborough CND’s conference considers the links between nuclear weapons and civil nuclear power. Labour CND committee member Rae Street is among the speakers, contributing on CND’s No to Nuclear Power campaign. Register now to hear an impressive list of specialists including Beyond Nuclear founder Linda Pentz Gunter and Arthur West, Scottish CND’s Trade Union Network and conference chair.
Register now for Jeremy Corbyn’s Project for Peace and Justice which launches 17 January with a start line up. The webinar includes Jeremy Corbyn will be joined by Zarah Sultana MP, Ronnie Kasrils, a South African Minister under Nelson Mandela, Yanis Varoufakis, Former Greek Finance Minister, climate campaigner Scarlett Westbrook, Unite’s Len McCluskey, and Baroness Christine Blower, former teachers leader.
‘You don’t have to take what you’re given. You don’t have to live without power and without hope. Things can, and they will change,’ says Corbyn. Visit the P&J website and read the mission statement of a project that aims to bring people together for social and economic justice, peace, and human rights, in Britain and across the world.
Writing in the Morning Star on 17 December, Socialist Campaign Group Secretary Richard Burgon called for ‘our whole movement’ to join Labour CND’s online lobby to persuade Labour MPs to oppose Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s £16 billion military spending increase. Burgon said: ‘Labour CND has launched a campaign to make the case for real security, tackling the climate crisis, global poverty and the Covid-19 pandemic — not a Tory military spending spree. It is one our whole movement should back.’
Read Burgon’s article here
Lobby your MP here
During a health pandemic, with the UK economy set to nose dive, and the majority of families struggling to make ends meet, Labour CND believes it’s a big mistake for our parliamentary front bench to support Boris Johnson’s military spending hike. Our representatives should be making the case for real security, tackling the Covid crisis, the climate emergency, and playing our part in combatting global poverty.
If your MP is a Labour MP, let them know what you think. Drop them a line right now using Labour CND’s online lobby.
And while you’re here, take a look at our model motion for your local Labour Party.
On 19 November, in a House of Commons update on the Integrated Review, Boris Johnson’s announced a huge military spendig hike. Reaffirmed by Chancellor Richi Sunak’s autumn statement, the government is committed to an increase of £24.1 billion over 4 years — that’s £16 bn in addition to the 0.5% above-inflation increase already promised. Responding for Labour, Keir Starmer welcomed the increase. Let Labour know their support for this Tories spending spree is misguided. Here’s what you can do:
Join Jeremy Corbyn and guests on Sunday, register here to attend our webinar co-hosted by our partners from Arise, A Festival of Labour’s Left Ideas
Download our model motion for your branch or constituency Labour Party
And please contact your Labour MP via our online lobby
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru, has welcomed the ratification of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He said: ‘As more nations ratify this Treaty together we create hope for a different future without nuclear weapons and without a nuclear deterrent.’
Now that 50 countries have ratified the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), it will come into force on 22 January 2021. Another 84 have signed, but not yet ratified the Treaty. Only those countries which ratify the TPNW are bound by the Treaty.
The UK government is responsible for signing and ratifying treaties. To the dishonour of us all, neither the May nor Johnson governments have signed the TPNW. The Tories say they never will, and Labour is silent on the Treaty.
CND has launched a campaign to put pressure on Westminster to change its mind. The Nuclear Ban Communities initiative is modelled on ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons which CND is part of. We are asking MPs, local authorities, and faith leaders to pledge their support for the UN nuclear ban treaty.
You’ll be hearing more from us in 2021…..
Africa’s contribution to the field of nuclear non-proliferation has long been ignored, argues Olamide Samuel. In an article for Aljazeera, the arms control specialist and the Coordinator of SCRAP Weapons, explains why it’s time to recognise and embrace Africa’s role.
