Anti-nuclear campaigners have responded to a new report by the House of Lords International Relations Committee into the rising threat of nuclear weapons use.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“We welcome the report which calls on the UK government to endorse the principle that ‘a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.’ With increasing geopolitical tensions, destruction of fundamental arms control treaties, and the continued development of new nuclear weapons, the UK must do more to support global disarmament initiatives.
“The report is right to criticise the government’s lack of engagement with the UN’s new nuclear weapons ban treaty. It calls out the ‘aggressive tone about the treaty’ which in practice has meant the UK boycotting talks and offering little encouragement to countries that have embraced this exciting diplomatic initiative.
“The report does however fail to address the hypocrisy of the government in continuing to waste money on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. The replacement of our nuclear weapons is contrary to our Non-Proliferation Treaty commitments and is set to cost at least £205bn which could be better spent on jobs, homes, education and health.”
Notes
- Threat of nuclear weapons use has risen, says Lords Committee
Click to download the “Rising nuclear risk, disarmament and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty” report. (24/04/2019)