For immediate release: 27 August 2003
CND is calling for people to join them at the Hutton Enquiry at 9:30am on Thursday 28 August. CND is calling for a full independent inquiry into why Britain went to war with Iraq.
Geoff Hoon stated time and time again the British government would be willing to use nuclear weapons.
“They can be absolutely confident that in the right conditions we would be willing to use our nuclear weapons”, he told MPs in March, 2002.
“The long standing British government policy that, if our forces – if our people – were threatened by weapons of mass destruction, we would reserve the right to use appropriate proportionate responses which might… in extreme circumstances include the use of nuclear weapons”, speaking on the Jonathan Dimbleby programme, ITV, 24 March 2002
Saddam Hussein “can be absolutely confident” the UK is willing to use nuclear weapons “in the right conditions”. Mr Hoon said the UK reserved the right to use the weapons “in extreme self defence”, on BBC One’s Breakfast with Frost, Sunday 3 February.
Carol Naughton, CND Chair, said:
“Hoon should have left his post having even countenanced the use of nuclear weapons, let alone his handling of Dr. David Kelly.”
CND calls for an independent inquiry on why we went to war. It must look into how prepared British forces were to use nuclear weapons – especially given no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) were proven to exist according to the IAEA[4] or UNMOVIC[5] and to this day, have yet to be found.
Ends…//
Notes for Editors
1. For further information or interviews contact Ben Miller, Press Office – 020-7700-2350 or 07968-420-859 or CND Chair Carol Naughton 07736 – 698 – 702
2. CND formed in 1958 has expert knowledge on all nuclear issues.
3. CND was the first organisation to campaign against leading the UK to war with Iraq
4. International Atomic Energy Agency-(IAEA)
5. United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission-(UNMOVIC)