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No return of US nukes to Britain

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.

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Nominate for Labour’s national committees

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.

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All woman panel on women, war & nukes

Join Labour CND Chair Carol Turner and her guests at our Arise Festival session, Tuesday 26 July, part of the Leftie Lunchtime 1-hour events . Register here and find out more

with
— Jess Barnard, Young Labour
— Lindsey German, author How a Century of War Changed the Lives of Women & STW
— Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Jewish Voice for Labour
— and a special guest

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Motion for Labour conference

Benners decorating the fence at Lakenheath air base during CND’s first protest

Labour CND’s suggested motion for this year’s annual party conference opposes the return of US nuclear weapns to Britain. It notes that US nukes left Lakenheath in 2008 which was consistent with the then Labour Government’s ambition for a ‘global zero’ eradication of nuclear weapons through multilateral disarmament, and recommits Labour to nuclear disarmament and a world without nuclear weapons. We urge you to ask your local Labour Party to adopt this as policy and put it forward for conference.

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New date set for LabCND Annual General Meeting

Labour CND’s 2022 AGM will take place on Monday 18 July at 7pm, with our guest speaker CND Gen Sec Kate Hudson. If you are a member of the Labour Party and of CND you are eligible to participate and should notify Labour CND of your intention at labourcnd@gmail.com

When you do so, you’ll be sent details of how to make nominations and submit motions, together with a copy of Labour CND’s Constitution/Standing Orders.

TIMETABLE
Motions & nominations open Monday 4th July
Close after 11 days (Monday 11th July
Motions circulated to those who have registered, asking for any proposed amendments by 14th July.
There will be a registration process to indicate eligibility. Deadline to join CND of 11th.

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Labour CND annual meeting postponed

With apologies to those of you who had the date in your diaries, our AGM has been postponed. We’re busy organising for Lakenheath combined with tech problems. We will announce a new date shortly.

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We don’t want US nukes! Join CND at Lakenheath on 21 May

Since we learned that US nukes are coming back to Britain, CND has been busy organising a protest at RAF Lakenheath airbase in Suffolk – RAF in name only, run by the US Air Force. Transport is bringing protestors from around the country – Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, East Midlands, London.

Visit CND for details, or London CND to book a seat from London to Lakenheath

Read about what’s on our doorstep here
Get more details about what’s in the offing here
Sign up to Labour CND’s newletter to stay in touch


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Stop US nukes coming to Lakenheath

As news that US nuclear weapons are coming to Britain again begins to spread, CND has organised our first protest at RAF/USAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. With the cooperation of local CND groups, the Stop UK nukes coming to Lakenheath protest takes place outside the base on Saturday 21 May, 13.00 to 15.00. CND groups across the country are already mobilising.

The United States is the only country that sites its nuclear weapons outside its own territory. The return of US nukes to Britain will increase global tensions and put the UK on the front line of a Nato/Russia war.

What’s happening at Lakenheath is part of an upgrade of US/Nato nuclear facilities across Europe. Increasing Nato’s capacity to wage nuclear war in Europe is dangerously destabilising and further undermines the prospects of international peace.

It’s vital that we build the biggest opposition to siting US nuclear weapons in Britain. It means spreading the word across the labour movement, and that’s  up to us all.

Labour CND will play our part in keeping you up to scratch with developments in the weeks and months ahead.

Read Are US nuclear weapons coming to Britain again? and stay in touch for more reports.
Join Labour CND’s mailing list here

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Labour CND’s 2022 conference

Register now for Labour CND’s not-to-be-missed annual conference. We’ll be debating the way forward for a Labour foreign policy based on peace, people and planet, with:

Richard Burgon MP // Tom Unterrainer CND Chair // Margaret Kimberly Black Alliance for Peace // Katy Clark MSP// Jess Barnard  Young Labour // Stuart Parkinson Scientists for Global Responsibility // Mish Rahman NEC // Sam Mason Labour CND’s climate specialist // with a musical interlude from Labour CND’s own Sam Browse.

Events in Ukraine bring the prospect of nuclear war closer. The AUKUS pact with Australia and the US intensifies a new Cold War with China. The British government is pledged to increase its nuclear weapons stockpile. Energy price hikes have renewed dthe role of nuclear power in the UK’s energy mix.

Now more than ever Labour needs a foreign policy based on peace and climate justice.