CND and Plymouth residents protested outside the offices of Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard MP today, ahead of a national demonstration opposing Britain’s nuclear weapons at the Devonport Dockyard on Saturday 7 June.
The Dockyard, operated by arms company Babcock, overseas the costly maintenance of Britain’s nuclear submarine fleet, with current refits of Vanguard submarines costing £560 million each. Meanwhile, older submarines still wait for decommissioning and each reactor contains 25 litres of nuclear waste. There is a troubling history of nuclear leaks at the base with at least nuclear leaks reported at the base in the last 30 years.
Despite nuclear risks faced by residents and the out-of-control costs associated with Britain’s nuclear fleet, Devonport receives little in return. The area is ranked among the most deprived 10% of areas in England in the Index of Multiple Deprivation. According to Plymouth Council, child poverty rates are over 35% in some wards.
CND is calling for the government to change its priorities and calls on supporters to join the demonstration at the Dockyard on Saturday 7 June.
- 12 noon: assemble on Guildhall Square, Armada Way in Plymouth city centre (an accessible pedestrian walk from the Rail and coach stations) for a march and rally;
- From 1pm: an open top bus will take everyone on a tour of Plymouth and its nuclear links
- 2:15pm: assembly at the gates of the Trident nuclear dockyard, Camel’s Head, Devonport.
Local resident at CND Vice-Chair Tony Staunton said:
“We wrote to Luke Pollard ten days ago and he has only just responded to say he will not be able to meet with us for another six weeks. As an MoD minister, he is responsible for diverting billions of pounds from welfare into nuclear weapons and war. Considering the dangers faced by his constituents, this isn’t good enough.
“The government argues that we have to protect jobs in the nuclear arms industry, but these weapons stand in the way of many more and better jobs that will build Plymouth for the future, not for nuclear war and destruction. We call on residents to join us on 7 June to demand that the government changes its priorities and invest in peace not war.”
CND Chair Tom Unterrainer said:
“This lobbying event today is just the beginning and Plymouth residents will be back again next week to say no to Britain’s weapons of mass destruction. Across the country, local groups are coming out to resist the presence of nuclear weapons companies in their communities – which make us poorer and puts us at risk. As Europe enters a new arms race, people across the continent are coming together to say no to militarism and greater military spending, which will have disastrous consequences for peace and the environment.”