13 March 2007: for immediate release
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has called an emergency parliamentary lobby for tomorrow, 14th March, when parliament will debate and vote on Trident replacement. CND has also organised a rally in Parliament Square from 6-8 pm tomorrow.
9:30 – 11:00 am
Breakfast Reception
MPs will meet to discuss opposition to the government’s plans to replace Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system. Also expected to attend are Annie Lennox (singer), Bianca Jagger (Goodwill Ambassador for the Council of Europe), Vivienne Westwood (fashion designer), and Sir Richard Jolly (former assistant secretary general of the UN).
11:15 – 11:30 am
Photo Call
Annie Lennox and Vivienne Westwood will join a number of MPs opposed to Trident replacement for a photo call outside the St. Stephen’s entrance to the Houses of Parliament. They will be holding a large cheque representing the extraordinary cost of the government’s Trident replacement proposal
1:00 – 6:00 pm
Emergency parliamentary lobby
Hundreds of members of the public are expected to come to the House of Commons to lobby their MP to say no to Trident replacement. Actress Susannah York will join the lobby at 3:30 pm.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Rally in Parliament Square
Thousands are expected to gather in Parliament Square to demonstrate their opposition to Trident replacement at the mass ‘Time to Say No’ rally organised by CND. MPs, trades union representatives and civil society figures will speak at the rally. Many MPs voting against Trident replacement are expected to speak.
ends
Notes to Editor:
1 . For further information and interviews please contact Rick Wayman, CND’s Press & Communications Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
2 . An ICM poll from June 2006 showed that 81% of the British public believes that any decision on Trident replacement should be made by Parliament, not the Prime Minister alone.
3 . According to a July 2006 ICM poll, 59% of the British public opposes a replacement of Trident when presented with a cost of at least £25 billion.
4 . The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 35,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere.