Ahead of a protest at Devonport Dockyard on Saturday 7 June, Plymouth residents will lobby the constituency office of Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard MP on Friday 30 May, to call for a meeting over nuclear dangers and how spending on nuclear weapons keeps local communities in poverty.
- Friday, 30 May
- Luke Pollard MP Constituency Office, 13 Frankfort Gate, Plymouth, PL1 1QA
- Photo-Op, 10:30am
In their letter, residents raise concerns over the Devonport Dockyard which maintains Britain’s nuclear submarine fleet and operated by arms company Babcock. There is a long and disturbing history of toxic radiation leaks from the Dockyard, including at least ten serious nuclear leaks in the past thirty years, with over 570 litres of radioactive liquid leaking in that time. These accidents mean local people feel increasingly anxious regarding the ongoing radioactive contamination of their environment.
The government also acknowledges that dismantling decommissioned submarines at Devonport is environmentally sensitive. Each reactor contains around 25 tonnes of radioactive waste.
Residents are also concerned over the out-of-control costs of Britain’s nuclear weapons. According to the government’s Equipment Plan, deemed “unaffordable” by the National Audit Office, the ten-year forecast for nuclear weapons spending increased by 62% in just one year. Chief of Defence Nuclear at the Ministry of Defence, Madeline McTernan, has admitted it’s now around £130 billion.
In its Defence Industrial Strategy, the government argues that the nuclear industry is a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity. Yet while Babcock makes billions of pounds in profit maintaining Britian’s fleet of nuclear submarines, Devonport 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 Chair Tom Unterrainer said:
“Plymouth residents want to discuss their legitimate concerns about the safety of living next to a nuclear dockyard, both in terms of radioactive leaks but also being a target in the event of a nuclear war. Instead of sticking to its international obligations to work towards nuclear disarmament, Britain is ploughing ahead with expanding its nuclear arsenal and building a new generation of death machines. This makes the world less safe and increases nuclear risks. Meanwhile, the British public is footing the bill with new rounds of austerity and crumbling services. ”
Local resident and CND Vice-Chair Tony Staunton said:
“We want to meet with the minister to discuss the poor choices being made by our government. Why are we spending so much on weapons of mass destruction when essential public services are underfunded? Tax money pours into Babcock’s privately-owned dockyard, but their profits don’t stay in the city. The dockyard keeps Devonport poor, deterring investment and diverting money from health and social services. The £13 billion a year spent on nuclear weapons should be spent on turning communities like Devonport into sustainable hubs of green industry.”