Africa’s contribution to the field of nuclear non-proliferation has long been ignored, argues Olamide Samuel. In an article for Aljazeera, the arms control specialist and the Coordinator of SCRAP Weapons, explains why it’s time to recognise and embrace Africa’s role.
Labour CND statement on the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn
Labour CND stands in solidarity with Jeremy Corbyn, a lifelong anti-racist, peace and anti-war campaigner, as his record of fighting oppression and discrimination attests.
We reaffirm our commitment to opppose anti-semitism and all forms of racism. We believe the action taken against Jeremy undermines the unity of the Labour Party.
Labour CND opposes the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn and pledges to campaign for his reinstatement.
Ann Henderson on Trident
Labour CND and Arise, A Festival of Labour’s Left Ideas jointly organised a Foreign Policy Q&A webinar with Grassroots Voice candidates for Labour’s National Executive Committee. Ann Henderson reviewed Scottish Labour’s position on Trident.
Visit Labour CND’s YouTube channel to hear what all #GV6 candidates had to say on Froeign Policy – Gemma Bolton, Yasmine Dar, Nadia Jama, Laura Pidcock, and Mish Rahman
Register here for #GrassrootsVoice #GV6 Rally with Jeremy Corbyn and others on 15 October
Party members decisively reject Trident replacement
The results of a recent LabourList survey confirm that the overwhelming majority of party members want to scrap Trident. In a poll of 7,197 readers, 80.9% of whom were party members, only 12.3% supported Trident renewal.
Paticipants in LabourList’s survey were asked which of a list of policies in Labour’s 2019 general election manifesto the party should continue to support. The results are below. Only two policies failed to achieve majority backing. With 49.6% fast and free broadband fell just short of a majority, but renewing Trident was decisively rejected .
Policies with majority support were:
* Cut the substantial majority of carbon emissions by 2030 (82%)
* Create one million green jobs (74%)
* Close tax loopholes enjoyed by private schools (73%)
* Increase income tax for those earning over £80,000 (71%)
* Nationalise mail, rail, energy and water (67%)
* Repeal anti-trade union legislation (64%)
* Scrap tuition fees (61%)
* Extend full voting rights to all UK residents (61%)
* Set up a publicly owned generic drug company (60.5%)
* Compensate the WASPI women (57%)
* Maximum pay ratios of 20:1 in the public sector (56%)
* Aim for 32-hour working week within a decade (51%)
The LabourList result confirms a YouGov poll for The Times on the eve of Labour’s 2019 annual conference, which showed 70% of the 1,185 Labour Party members sampled wanted to scrap Britain’s nuclear weapons system.
Read LabourList‘s survey results here
Corbyn backs NEC candidates
Jeremy Corbyn was quick to tweet his support for the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance candidates for Labour’s NEC elections which take place over the summer. The Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs has also backed them, saying: ‘As the left grouping within the Parliamentary Labour Party, the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs formally endorses the @CLGALabour slate for the National Executive Committee Elections.’
Remembering Walter Wolfgang
On 29 May, the first anniversary of Walter Wolfgang’s death, Labour CND hosted a commemoration of his life with Jeremy Corbyn and friends. The live zoom meeting was over-subscribed. If you were one of those unlucky few who didnt get access, or if you’re hearing about it for the first time, you can watch the celebration of Walter’s long and active life below.
Resources for lockdown campaiging
Getting used to the new normal for campaigning, or simply getting zoomed out? We know not everyone has time for two or three zoom calls a week, so Labour CND and London CND have joined forces to bring you a series of short video briefings on nuclear disarmament and foreign policy topics.
Every Friday evening at 6pm, London CND uploads a new video. Tonight’s is from CND’s Sara Medi on the NPT process. There are 9 videos in the series so far including:
– A new threat to the Palestinian people
– The new START Treaty
– Arms Exports Controls
– China and Covid19
Check out what’s available here
Visit CND UK to see what else is available
Message from Shadow Minister for Peace
We simply cannot go back to business as usual in the post-Covid era – and that includes the proliferation of weapons and wars that claim thousands of lives, says Fabian Hamilton in a message recorded for Labour CND.
Trident vs NHS
The Tory government’s risk assessment warned that health pandemics were a major threat to Britain’s security, nuclear attack wasn’t. So why are we spending £205 billion on Trident when the NHS is chronically underfunded askes Labour CND Secretary, Ruth Brown in a recent letter to the Financial Times.
Defence diversification: covid crisis points the way
Covid19 has seen some companies in the arms industry turn their hand to socially useful production, which is what defence diversification is all about. In the UK, Airbus, BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Rolls Royce and Siemens UK are among the companies participating in Ventilator Challenge UK, the government consortium making ventilators.
In this short video made for Labour CND, Sam Mason of the PCS union explains that the response to this health crisis shows we can end the continuing waste of billions of pounds on the UK’s unnecessary nuclear weapons system. We need to lobby for a firm commitment from the new Labour leadership to set up a Shadow Defence Diversification Agency.