Annual women’s conference is coming up on 19-20 March. There’s still time to submit Labour CND’s emergency motion on Ukraine – but only just. Act now to get your CLP / women’s branch to submit it in time for the deadline of 12 noon on Tuesday 8 March, and please circulate to others to do likewise.
If you’re a delegate to women’s conference, think about signing up to CLPD conference info to keep in touch with others and get info on motions, composites and more by following this link
And last but not least, please vote for Gillian Arrindell, Jean Crocker and Selina Norgrove for the 3 CLP places on the Women’s Conference Arrangements Committee.
Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, whose country is paying a heavy economic and human price for this conflict. But this conflict also presents a much wider threat: the existential threat of a nuclear war between the United States and Russia. Join CND in calling for an end to conflict in Ukraine to avert the threat of nuclear war:
As the crisis in Ukraine escalates, the risk of nuclear war comes ever closer. President Biden pointed out last week that war between the US and Russia would be World War III, yet this possibility is closer than ever before. The entry of Russian forces into Ukraine makes diplomacy more urgent, not less. Yet British political leaders continue to denigrate diplomatic initiatives, even as the conflict intensifies.
Rather than refusing to talk with the Russian leadership, the US administration must get to the negotiating table, to address all the fundamental issues in this conflict, including how to make the Minsk agreements work. Rather than further escalating the conflict and militarisation of the region, the US must recognise the risk of nuclear war and do everything possible to achieve a peaceful solution.
Read CND’s latest statement and take a look at Kate Hudson’s blog here Read Labour CND’s statement on Nato here
Take action
>>> Join CND’s international rally, in partnership with Code Pink and Stop the War, on Saturday 26 February, No War in Ukraine, No to Nato >>> Get a free No Nuclear War poster here >>> Print you own window poster here
with Katy Clark MSP // Margaret Kimberley, Black Alliance for Peace USA // Sam Mason, Labour CND // Stuart Parkinson, Scientists for Global Responsibility // Tom Unterrainer CND
SAVE THE DATE and watch out for more details Sunday 3 April, 12 noon to 14.30
Young Labour led the way on foreign policy at party conference with an historic motion calling out apartheid in Palestine and supporting sanctions on Israel, while Labour CND promoted a successful emergency motion on AUKUS.
Join Socalist Campaign Group MPs Apsana Begum and Richard Burgon join Young Labour Chair Jess Barnard and Tribune Editor Ronan Burtenshaw, with Stop the War’s Shelly Asquith and climate activist Sam Mason from Labour CND, to discuss the continuing struggle for a non-aligned foreign policy, focussed on peace and justice.
All welcome at this timely discussion. Register here and please circulate to your Young Labour contacts
Missed the webinar? Still time to register for CND’s open conference
CND’s 2021 conference takes place in two parts again this year, both on the theme of no new nuclear arms race. We hope to see some of our supporters at the members-only AGM and policy conference, and even more of you at CND open conference on Sunday 24 October from 11.00, with an excellent line-up of international speakers. Get more details and register here
Labour CND Co-Chair Julie Ward raised AUKUS and Global Britain at a Greater Manchester CND meeting, part of a week of protest action during Tory Party conference.Labour CND committee member Rae Street in the #NursesNotNukes bloc at the Tories Out march in Manchester
With only a few days notice before the deadline, 5 Constituency Labour Parties submitted an emergency motion on AUKUS promoted by Labour CND – Beverley and Holderness, Shipley, Brighton Pavillion, Hazel Grove, and Pendle called on the Labour leadership to oppose the agreement, maintain the party’s commitment to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and encourage diplomatic steps to repair damaged relations with France, Germany and China.
Moving the motion, Marisa Aitkin from Shipley CLP argued that the provision of nuclear powered submarines to non-nuclear Australia was likely to put the UK in breach of the NPT. It was ‘absolutely incumbent upon the Labour party to oppose the treaty, in opposition and in government’. Far from promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific, it would encourage a new nuclear arms race and cold war with China. ‘Real security comes from international cooperation, and a will to tackle together the global crises of our time,’ she said.
Claire Wadey seconded the motion for Brighton Pavillion, highlighting the Maritime Union of Australia’s response to AUKUS and speaking about the opposition of her relatives and friends in the region. In a strongly-worded statement, calling for ‘jobs and health, not nukes’, the MUA expressed total opposition to ‘billions wasted on submarines’.
The result was spectacular. Despite opposition from Labour’s front bench, it was passed with 70% support of conference on a card vote. 77% of trade unions and 62% of CLP delegates backed it. Only the GMB and a few smaller unions on the right of the party voted against.
The announcement of a tripartite military treaty between the US, UK and Australia prompted Labour CND to circulate an emergency motion for Labour Conference 2021.
The Chancellor’s statement revealed the UK economy has nose dived during the Covid-19 crisis. So why is Boris Johnson’s government so set on raising the MoD’s budget. Here’s ouar suggestion for a motion for your local party
Take action
