Manchester City Council has unanimously passed a resolution voicing its support for the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), as well as calling on the UK government to scrap Trident.
This is a fantastic achievement, and was due to the hard work of Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) campaigners in the region. The resolution calls on the UK government to engage with the global majority of UN member states by signing the global ban treaty, making Manchester the first European city to pass such a motion.
Other cities internationally have already expressed similar support, including Los Angeles, Baltimore, Sydney, Melbourne and Toronto.
Commenting on Manchester’s resolution, NFLA Steering Committee Chair, Councillor Ernie Galsworthy said:
“I am delighted to hear that Manchester City Council has unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons…Nuclear weapons are a costly and unnecessary weapon of complete destruction that the world could very much do without. NFLA is proud to work with Hiroshima and Nagasaki and many other towns and cities that call for a different form of defence policy and a new progressive form of international security.”
Sara Medi Jones, Acting General Secretary of CND, said:
“CND congratulates all campaigners who worked towards securing this motion, and commends the efforts of the many campaigning groups who are working on similar initiatives in their local areas.
“Resolutions like this one are essential for enabling local authorities to voice their communities’ legitimate concerns over the threat caused by nuclear weapons, and places the necessary pressure on states to join this crucial nuclear ban treaty.
“Once it enters into force, TPNW will make it illegal for its signatories to test, produce or use nuclear weapons. 122 countries voted in favour of this treaty at the United Nations, and the UK government must stand with this global majority in rejecting nuclear weapons. Manchester’s resolution is indicative of the support that exists across the country for a world without nuclear weapons. We expect many more local authorities, towns and cities to follow suit.”
Images: Manchester Libraries and Archives and Omnidreams.net