Jeremy Hardy’s tragic death last week has upset many of us who knew him and worked with him.
Not only was Jeremy a significant voice in stand-up comedy who inspired many other performers to address political issues, but he played a major role in the #JC4PM tour (see clips below) as well as performing for Stand up for Labour.
We know that Jeremy would have wanted us to carry on putting on fundraisers for the Labour Party and our shows will all be a tribute to him.
Labour CND conference
Tickets to our upcoming conference are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/peace-policies-for-labour-tickets-55153559782
Latest on UN nuclear ban treaty
So far 69 states have signed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and 19 ratified it. The Church of England General Synod has welcomed the Treaty and asked the UK government to publish a plan for the elimination of its nuclear arsenal.
Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith, on the other hand, recently said Trident replacement ‘is not a decision we are going back on’. Here’s a resolution for local Labour Parties, suggested by a supporter in London who successfully steered it through her branch.
Labour Women’s Conference
Women’s annual conference is a two day affair this year, to be held in Telford on Sat 23-Sun 24 February. And thanks to the Democracy Review, two resolutions will go forward to Labour’s annual conference in September. Resolutions, delegations and nominations must be in by Monday 14 January. Please consider submitting a resolution in defence of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, after Trump’s announcement he intends to withdraw. We’ve provided an explainer to help you argue the case.
CLPs can appoint 2 delegates (one of whom must be a disabled, BAME or LGBT woman) and nominate 3 CLP reps to the Women’s Conference Arrangements Committee. Jean Crocker and Teresa Clark who’ve done a great job so far, are standing again.
Have Trump and Putin torn up the rule book?
‘The rapid advances in IT and robotics are also leading to physical means of both enhancing and degrading brain processes in the interests of the military…’
Read briefing notes from the CND Future Wars conference by Steven Rose: NEUROWAR IN THE NOVICHOK ERA
Preparing for a Labour government
Labour CND’s annual conference in February promises to be a blinder, with Fabian Hamilton, Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament talking about how he’s developing a peace doctrine for Labour, and speakers from the NEC, NPF, the trade unions, and Scottish Labour where scrapping Trident’s already a commitment. Put 2nd February 2019 in your diary now.
Future Wars: the dark side of new tech
CND’s international conference on the impact of new technologies was a big hit, bringing together specialists from across Europe to discuss the changing face of war.
‘The possible consequences are extremely serious. The US intention to dominate is clearly shown by the Space Command uniform badge which declares the wearer a ‘Master of Space’.’
Julie Ward in Strasbourg
Speaking in a debate on European security and the future of the INF Treaty, MEP and Labour CND Co-Chair Julie Ward said:
‘The INF Treaty occupies a special place in peace history – in our history. It was prompted by the huge nuclear disarmament movements that swept across Europe and the USA in the 1980s. In some respects, the peace movement owns this treaty, and we must do what we can to ensure it is not taken away.’
Trump wants INF Treaty scrapped
To remind us why CND is needed, Trump chose the weekend of the CND annual conference to announce his intention to tear up the 1987 The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which removed the threat of nuclear war in Europe by eliminating short- and medium- range ballistic and ground-launched cruise missiles.
Read what Labour CND Co-Chair Carol Turner has to say about it.
Report back from Labour’s annual conference
Fabian Hamilton, Shadow Minister for Peace & Disarmament, hosted Labour CND’s report back in parliament in October, and took the opportunity to outline his vision of a Peace Doctrine for Labour.
He made clear his support for signing the UN nuclear ban treaty, so the UK ‘will become a voice for eradicating nuclear weapons’. Walter Wolfgang described the 2018 conference was the most positive since the 1970s. But Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP urged us to carry on pushing for the positive change we want to see.