CND Vice-President Jeremy Corbyn and other parliamentarians today call on Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, to back a key vote at the UN General Assembly this Friday.
Countries including Brazil, Chile, Ireland, Kiribati, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines and South Africa are proposing the resolution ‘Nuclear war effects and scientific research’. The aim is to establish a far-reaching study on the effects of nuclear war. Alarmed at the renewed prospect of a nuclear war, they have come together, determined to raise awareness among future generations of the new challenges to international peace and security. They argue that major advances in climatic and scientific modelling can help shape new thinking to address the urgent challenges of nuclear disarmament.
But CND learned that the British government has been mobilising against the resolution, ahead of Friday’s vote.
In the letter, they write:
“We find it absolutely astonishing that Britain is apparently mobilising against such an obvious and sensible course of action.
We urge the British government to rethink such damaging actions, and instead vote in favour of the resolution at the UN General Assembly on Friday, which includes renewing its commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
We all know that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Every effort must be made to avert such a danger.”
The letter is also signed by Kirsty Blackman MP; Liz Saville-Roberts MP; Diane Abbott MP; Iqbal Mohammed MP; Ian Byrne MP; Graham Leadbitter MP; Adrian Ramsay MP; Sian Berry MP; Ellie Chowns MP; Carla Denyer MP; Shockat Adam MP; Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP; John McDonnell MP; Richard Burgon MP; and Adnan Hussain MP.