- New report highlights spending alternatives for Britain’s nuclear weapons budget
- £240 billion could:
– Fund an extra 220,000 nurses over 30 years
–Fund 3.7 million affordable homes and clear social housing waiting list
–Fund the installation of solar panels on every home, significantly reducing carbon emissions and energy bills
Campaigners are calling on Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to scrap Britain’s nuclear weapons and redirect the £240 billion into tackling the real security risks we face from the cost-of-living crisis and climate breakdown.
CND’s new ‘People not Nukes’ report calculates that the replacement of Britain’s nuclear weapons will cost the British public at least £240 billion over the next 30 years. With public services at breaking point, another cost-of-living crisis looming, and climate breakdown destroying lives, livelihoods and the planet, ‘People not Nukes’ argues that the billions earmarked for this immoral and deadly nuclear weapons system could radically transform our society for the better.
Some examples include:
- £240 billion would hire 220,000 extra nurses over 30 years, an increase of a third on current staffing levels.
- £240 billion could build 3.7 million affordable homes and clear the social housing list within seven years.
- £240 billion would pay the tuition fees of eight million students, seriously reducing the debt burden of Britain’s graduates.
- £240 billion would fund free school meals for every child in Britain for 46 years, helping to alleviate child hunger and improve learning.
- £240 billion could fund the installation of solar panels on every home, significantly lowering energy bills and carbon emissions.
CND is calling on the Prime Minister to scrap Britain’s nuclear weapons system and cancel plans for its replacement, which will free up at least £240 billion in public funds. The government should then redirect this money to save and improve lives – on health, education, affordable homes and climate action.
This comes as hundreds of trade union delegates attending this year’s Trade Union Congress will vote on a University and College Union motion for ‘Building real security’ by ‘advancing a trade union vision of security based decent work, quality public services, equality, climate action, democracy on peace.’
CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt said:
“Prime Minister Burnham has stated that national security can’t come at the expense of social security. That is correct. But he also needs to be clear about the real national security threats we face – and what will make us more secure, not less. Military spending hikes and nuclear expansion are not making us safer. Replacing Britain’s nuclear submarines and expanding its nuclear capability is only increasing the threat of nuclear weapons being used, and the chances of other countries developing the weapons.
“Meanwhile, thousands of people are dying in Britain right now because of a failure to invest in tackling climate change and to properly fund essential public services, like health. Millions are living in poverty in insecure, unsafe housing. Our ‘People not Nukes’ report shows that by meeting its international nuclear disarmament obligations, the government could free up hundreds of billions of public funds to tackle these very urgent, life-threatening security threats we face. We’re only going to increase the pressure on Prime Minister Burnham to do the right thing – invest in saving lives not destroying them. Invest in people not nukes.”