The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament plans to hold a public rally this week to raise awareness of what they claim is potentially one of the US administration’s most dangerous and destabilising policies – a new nuclear weapons programme. The group – one of the leading organisations opposing Bush’s visit last week – will hold a special parliamentary meeting to highlight the new threat this Wednesday (26th November) at 7pm in the House of Commons. Speakers from a range of political parties will include Llew Smith MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru spokesperson on defence), the Deputy Mayor of London, Kate Hudson (CND Chair) and Jeremy Corbyn MP.
The event, entitled, “No new nukes – no pre-emptive war” will examine the US’s research and development of new breeds of nuclear weapons that can actually be used on the battlefield – known to some as mini-nukes and bunker busters. The meeting comes just one week after the US Congress allocated 7.5 million dollars to study the feasibility of the so-called Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator and to bolster the readiness at the Nevada nuclear test site. Speakers will also confront the current US and UK policy of pre-emptive war and nuclear first strike policies, and discuss the potential consequences for the UK.
Kate Hudson, Chair of CND, who is speaking at the meeting, said,
“The hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets last week were protesting not just about Bush’s illegal war and occupation, we were also warning against Bush’s aggressive war policies which are making the world a much more dangerous place. The US is not only keeping its massive arsenal of nuclear weapons but it’s developing new ones that it plans to use. It is imperative that we get informed and lobby our own government and the US to put the nuclear button away once and for all. This meeting is a great opportunity to do just that”
The meeting is open to all.
ENDS
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