The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament welcomes reports that Prime Minister Gordon Brown will announce a cut in the number of submarines in the Trident replacement nuclear weapons system and potentially also cut the number of warheads held by Britain.
Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said:
“We welcome this move by the government. A reduction in the planned system is a serious and positive first step towards the scrapping of both the current Trident nuclear weapons system and its replacement. This will support the current global initiatives towards the elimination of all nuclear weapons, led by President Obama and backed by leaders and nations around the world.
“But the cuts cannot stop here. Opinion polls are consistently showing a majority of the public oppose Trident replacement. People rightly question spending in excess of £76 billion on a system that retired generals describe as militarily useless and which does nothing to protect against current threats to our security. Why cut public services when you can cut useless weapons of mass destruction?
“But cost is not the only issue: the reality is that if the nuclear weapons states maintain and rearm their nuclear weapons, this will encourage other states to acquire nuclear weapons. By failing to disarm, we encourage proliferation and put ourselves – and the whole world – at greater risk. The government has understood this, and has taken a step in the right direction. But the disarmament process cannot stop here – the government must press ahead courageously and scrap Trident.”
Interviews can be arranged via Ben Soffa on 07968 420 859
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For further information and interviews please contact Ben Soffa, CND’s Press Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
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.