CND has today launched its Trident briefing for Labour Party Conference 2015.
Changing Labour: Time to scrap Trident explains why now is the right time for the Labour Party to change its policy on Trident.
Topics covered by the briefing include security, the cost of Trident, jobs, and the growing political consensus against Trident:
Trident is a relic of the Cold War that does nothing to challenge contemporary security threats like terrorism, climate change or cyber warfare.
The cost of Trident is estimated to be at least £100billion. In a time of austerity there are obvious alternatives for spending, including money for homes, healthcare, or for conventional weaponry.
Creating new jobs: existing jobs could be protected by a proposed Defence Diversification Agency, and many more jobs could be created if money is invested in alternatives. For example, 70,000 nursing jobs could be funded with the cost of maintaining Trident alone.
The briefing also argues that Labour policy should reflect the huge mandate Jeremy Corbyn secured on an anti-Trident ticket.
Kate Hudson, general secretary of CND, said:
“We urge Labour Party conference delegates to put Trident on the Agenda.”
“At this conference, Labour has a new opportunity – to shape its defence policy for today’s world, to shape our industry for the needs of our country. We urge them to rise to this challenge.”