CND has today launched the Trident and jobs report which sets out the employment implications of cancelling Trident replacement. The report, written by economist Michael Burke, reveals the significant potential for industrial development and jobs creation in the UK if the £205 billion planned for Trident is invested elsewhere in the economy.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“Our calculations show that 11,500 jobs depend on Trident-related work and many of these jobs would still exist even if Trident replacement is cancelled.
“Spending a fraction of the £205 billion Trident budget on a large-scale industrial investment programme could expand already growing parts of the economy, such as wind and wave power, nuclear decommissioning, aerospace technology and marine industries. These industries require precisely the sorts of skills and talent that are currently wasted on developing out of date nuclear weapons technology.
“Creating hi-tech jobs can be the positive outcome of a decision to stop Trident replacement if more politicians step up to campaign for this new vision. We urge unions to demand Defence Diversification, engage with the process and present this as an opportunity for industrial and economic expansion, not just for their members but for the whole of society.
“It beggars belief that some politicians still defend Trident on the basis that replacement is a jobs-rich political decision when so many more jobs could be created if the Trident budget is redeployed elsewhere in the economy.”