On responding to the Spring Budget, CND General Secretary Kate Hudson said:
“The unpredictability of Covid-19, together with the economic crisis that has come in its wake, means we need a clear, long term economic plan that addresses the real needs of the country. This government’s approach, outlined in today’s budget, does not sufficiently address Britain’s real security needs, in terms of health resilience, a sustainable economy addressing the challenge of climate change, and food, job and housing security for all our communities.
The pandemic has been hugely damaging and tragic for so many; so the government must not squander this once in a generation opportunity that it presents to reshape the structures and workings of our society and economy, in the interests of the population as a whole.
Part of that must be ending the existential threat of nuclear war which is always with us.
The excessive and escalating spending by the UK government on replacing Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system, is money that could instead be invested in regenerating our society, industry and economy.
During the pandemic we have seen how the defence industry can diversify to make ventilators and other essential equipment. This must not be a one-off occurrence. Government must look to our future security, instead of wasting billions on an obsolete relic of the Cold War.”