The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today released a statement from 35 MPs calling on Gordon Brown not to sign up to US Missile Defence plans at the NATO Summit in Bucharest. They demand that Parliament should be consulted first, as had been promised by Tony Blair. A new poll also shows many more Britons oppose than support US plans to put missiles and a radar station in central Europe, a highly controversial move which threatens to kick-start a new nuclear arms race in Europe.
The cross-party group of MPs state that they “regret that the Defence Secretary announced last July that the US would be allowed to use RAF Menwith Hill as part of the system, without the matter being put to the House of Commons. This was in spite of the fact that Prime Minister Blair had stated in February of last year that there would be such a discussion. We therefore believe that the government should not reach any new agreement at this week’s NATO summit, on the role of the system in Europe, without prior consultation with Parliament.”
The system, which will see missiles installed in Poland and a new radar in the Czech Republic also makes use of two bases in the UK – the joint US/UK radar at RAF Fylingdales, North Yorkshire, and the huge US-run listening station at RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, which will be used to transmit satellite information vital to the system. The use of the latter was announced in a written statement the day before the summer parliamentary recess last year, with no consultation, debate or vote. For more details of the bases, see www.cnduk.org/missiledefence
The new opinion poll, conducted across Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the US, shows net opposition in all the European countries, with an average of 20% more people opposing than supporting the plans (57% opposition, 25% support). In the UK 44% oppose the scheme whilst only 30% support it.
Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said, “This is a totally unnecessary system that risks fuelling a new nuclear arms race. It is disgraceful that is being foisted on Europe against the wishes of citizens in every country polled. To serve this system, our Government has allowed the base at Menwith Hill to be tied even further into US military structures without any parliamentary debate. Despite serious criticism from the Defence Select Committee and pressure from MPs across the House, Ministers haven’t come up with anything remotely approaching an adequate justification for going along with yet another destabilising US project.”
She continued, “Missile Defence will protect no-one, but will put Britain, and others involved, on the frontine in future US wars. It gives the US the ability to strike without fear of retaliation, thus resulting in others, notably Russia, enhancing their own systems in response. This is exactly why new arms control measures are desperately needed, rather than plans which will once again increase the number of missiles sited across Europe – and see them targeted again on Western Europe.”
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Notes to Editors:
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. www.cnduk.org
“We note Defence Secretary Des Browne’s recent statement that the US Missile Defence system will be discussed at the NATO summit in Bucharest this week. This is a matter of some importance, as we have observed, with concern, that the system is already causing political divisions in Europe.
These developments merit serious discussion within Parliament, and we regret that the Defence Secretary announced last July that the US would be allowed to use RAF Menwith Hill as part of the system, without the matter being put to the House of Commons. This was in spite of the fact that Prime Minister Blair had stated in February of last year that there would be such a discussion.
We therefore believe that the government should not reach any new agreement at this week’s NATO summit, on the role of the system in Europe, without prior consultation with Parliament.”
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Jon Trickett MP
Jon Cruddas MP
Chris Huhne MP
Colin Challen MP
Ian Gibson MP
Martin Caton MP
John McDonnell MP
Paul Holmes MP
John Leech MP
David Howarth MP
Jim Cousins MP
Mike Weir MP
David Chaytor MP
Mike Hancock MP
Frank Cook MP
Nick Harvey MP
Lynne Jones MP
Linda Riordan MP
Harry Cohen MP
David Lepper MP
Rudi Vis MP
John Austin MP
Doug Naysmith MP
Roger Berry MP
David Taylor MP
Mike Wood MP
Phil Willis MP
John Battle MP
Greg Mulholland MP
Dennis Skinner MP
Diane Abbott MP
Joan Walley MP
Glenda Jackson MP
Jim Dobbin MP