With news that deadly new US nuclear weapons may now have been deployed in Britain, CND has called on the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary to come clean about any deployment.
Comments that ‘new B61-12 gravity bombs are fully forward deployed’ were made by Jill Hruby, of the US National Nuclear Security Administration and published on a US departmental website on 16 January. This military terminology implies either that the bombs are now being delivered, or are already deployed, to NATO bases across western Europe, and possibly Britain. Since 2021, nuclear facilities at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk have been upgraded, including nuclear bomb shelters.
However, the British government has failed to provide any information about the situation, falling back on its position of ‘nuclear ambiguity’ – where they will neither confirm nor deny the developments.
In a letter to Keir Starmer and John Healey, CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt writes:
“It is totally unacceptable that the news of this ‘forward deployment’ has been discovered through posts on X and US department websites. As far as we are aware, there has been no announcement by government to parliament about this crucial information.
There has been no information presented to local communities about the new security risks that they face. US nuclear weapons at Lakenheath will present a major threat, not only to communities near Lakenheath, but to Britain as a whole, by putting us on the US/NATO nuclear front line.
The British population have a right to know what risks they face from such a deployment – and their right to express their opposition to it.”
She is urging for a public statement to clarify the situation at Lakenheath.
• Polling shows that 59% of the British population oppose US nuclear weapons being sited in Britain again.
• Following a concerted campaign of protest at Lakenheath, US nuclear weapons were removed from the base in 2008.
• Monthly actions against US nuclear weapons have been taking place at the US air base organised by Lakenheath Action for Peace. A peace camp will also take place from 14 to 25 April, culminating in a Blockade of the base on Saturday 26 April.
Image credit: Credit: Senior Airman Koby I. Saunders