6 August 2005: for immediate release
A thousand trade unions, MPs, MEPs MSPs, bishops, actors, writers, campaigning groups and peace lovers from across the UK have joined with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to mark the 60th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by saying Never Again in full page advertisements in The Guardian and The Independent today. The aim of the advertisements is to bring about a real understanding of the horror of the nuclear bomb and the dangers raised by changed UK policies towards the use of nuclear weapons. These dangers are of great concern given the current climate of war and global instability.
The signatures to the advertisement include Bruce Kent, Iain Banks, Tony Benn, Raymond Briggs, Joanne Harris, Terry Jones, Marian Keyes, The Rt. Revd James O’Brien Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, Tim Pigott-Smith, Harold Pinter, Claire Rayner, Corin Redgrave, Dame Anita Roddick, Dean Ireland Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture, Prunella Scales, George Solomou, Emma Thompson, Anthony Worrall-Thompson, Benjamin Zephaniah; Diane Abbott MP, Peter Kilfoyle MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP, Adam Price MP, Angus Robertson MP, Dennis Skinner MP, Dr Rudi Viz MP, Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, Tommy Sheridan MSP, Ken Livingstone, Billy Hayes CWU, Ruth Winters & Matt Wrack FBU, Judy McKnight NAPO, Paul Mackney NATFHE, Jeremy Dear NUJ, Kat Fletcher NUS, Mark Serwotka PCS, Brian Caton POA, Bob Crow RMT, Tony Woodley TGWU*.
NEVER AGAIN
In August 1945 the US dropped nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. The cities were obliterated, over 250,000 people were killed and generations poisoned by radiation. The use of nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity. In May 2000, the nuclear weapons states agreed on an “unequivocal undertaking” to accomplish the elimination of nuclear weapons. Yet even now, tens of thousands of nuclear weapons still threaten the survival of the world. Britain has just under 200 nuclear warheads. Each warhead has eight times the power of the bomb that devastated Hiroshima. We are deeply concerned that rather than taking steps to eliminate its nuclear arsenal the British government:
• Has begun developments at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston which could lead to the production of a new generation of nuclear weapons.
• Has said it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons in a first strike capacity, even against a non-nuclear weapons state.
• Is planning a replacement for the Trident nuclear weapons system.
These developments undermine international treaty obligations, global stability and peace and make the use of nuclear weapons more likely.
As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are calling on the government to make a commitment that the UK will neither use, threaten to use nor develop nuclear weapons, and will take immediate steps for their abolition.
end
Notes to Editor:
1. For further information and interviews please contact CND’s Press Officer on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
2. *Signatures on the advertisement include: CND Chair Kate Hudson, Treasurer Linda Hugl, Vice-Chairs Sophie Bolt, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Rae Street, Vice-Presidents Janet Bloomfield, John Cox, Bruce Kent, Dave Knight, Joan Horrocks, Alastair Mackie, Paul Oestreicher, Walter Wolfgang; Christian CND, Labour CND, Bristol CND, Crawley CND, Gtr Manchester CND, Kingston Peace Council/CND, Maidenhead & Cookham CND, Merseyside CND, Mitcham CND, Penzance CND, St Albans CND, Wallesey CND, Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition/CND; Iain Banks, Tony Benn, Raymond Briggs, Prof Sir Michael Dummett, Clive Dunn, Bishop Ambrose Griffiths, Jeremy Hardy, Joanne Harris, Julia Jarman, Terry Jones, Marian Keyes, Sylvester McCoy, Joe McGann, Adrian Mitchell, Priscilla Morgan, Thomas McMahon Bishop of Brentwood, The Rt. Revd James O’Brien Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, Tim Pigott-Smith, Harold Pinter, Claire Rayner, Corin Redgrave, Dame Anita Roddick, Christopher Rowland, Dean Ireland Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture, Prunella Scales, George Solomou, Emma Thompson, Sandi Toksvig, Susan Wooldridge, Anthony Worrall-Thompson, Benjamin Zephaniah; Diane Abbott MP, John Austin MP, Martin Caton MP, Katy Clark MP, Harry Cohen MP, Jim Cousins MP, Ann Cryer MP, Kelving Hopkins MP, Lynne Jones MP, Peter Kilfoyle MP, David Lepper MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP, John McDonnell MP, Adam Price MP, Angus Robertson MP, Alan Simpson MP, Dennis Skinner MP, Dr Rudi Viz MP, Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, Rosemary Byrne MSP, Frances Curran MSP, Linda Fabiani MSP, Colin Fox MSP, Marlyn Glen MSP, Donald Gorrie MSP, Robin Harper MSP, Rosie Kane MSP, Carolyn Leckie MSP, Cathy Peattie MSP, Eleanor Scott MSP, Tommy Sheridan MSP, Sandra White MSP, Jenny Jones Member of the GLA, Ken Livingstone Mayor of London; Joe Marino BFAWU, Geoff Bagnall CATU, Adrian Askew Connect, Billy Hayes CWU, Ruth Winters & Matt Wrack FBU, Judy McKnight NAPO, Paul Mackney NATFHE, Jeremy Dear NUJ, Kat Fletcher NUS, Mark Serwotka PCS, Brian Caton POA, Bob Crow RMT, Tony Woodley TGWU, Hyndburn & Rossendale TUC; Action for UN Renewal, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, The Atomic Mirror, Flying Monkey Venturers, Hugo Charlton Green Party , Greenpeace, Haverhill and District Peace Group, Hornsey Woodcraft Folk, Lutterworth Peace Group, Dick Cole Mebyon Kernow, MANA, Manchester Quaker Peace Group, New Barnet Justice and Peace Group, The Peace Party, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, SE Hampshire Peace Council, Shrewsbury Peace Group, Stamford Peace Campaign, Adnan Siddiqui Stop Political Terror; Andrew Burgin, Lindsey German, Tracy Martin, Andrew Murray, Chris Nineham, Trevor Phillips, John Rees, Jane Shallis STWC; Tavistock Peace Action Group, The Muriel Lesters, Trident Ploughshares affinity group, Louise Richards, War on Want, Sheila Triggs WILPF;
3. To see the advertisement and full list of names as printed in The Independent click here.
4. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 32,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere.