Starmer’s ‘triple lock’ on Trident

Within days of the general election being announced, Keir Starmer committed Labour to a ‘triple lock’ on Trident, an attempt to demonstrate nuclear weapons are safe in Labour’s hands. He also reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to match Sunak’s 2.5% increase in military spending which NATO is demanding.

Labour will build four new Dreadnought class submarines to deliver Britain’s nuclear warheads, he said, with at least one submarine at sea 24/7. Starmer also reaffirmed Labour’s decision to match the Tory government pledge to raise military spending  by 2.5% of gross domestic product as soon as possible.

This is a dangerous waste, which mirrors the approach of the Tory government. It signals more war, more military spending, and more nuclear weapons, as CND General Secretary Kate Hudson has pointed out. CND has estimated the cost of upgrading and maintaining Trident at £205 billion. The Conservative commitment to raise military spending to 2.5% by 2030, part of the Spring budget, will amount to an additional £87 billion a year.

CND Chair Tom Unterrainer commented that Starmer had  offered no justification of how nuclear weapons might protect Britain’s security. ‘For a man who claims to care about international law,’ said Unterrainer, ‘there is no mention of how expanding and modernising Britain’s nuclear arsenal goes against these norms. We need a bold vision for what real security means: one that puts climate, food security, and people at its heart, not more militarism and conflict.’

Read CND’s press release here

Nuclear power: a harmful distraction to climate change? Webinar recording

On Monday 13 May Labour CND hosted a nuclear power webinar with Sam Mason, principle author of Labour CND’s pamphlet Labour, Climate Change, and Nuclear power – Not Cheap, Not Safe, Not Peaceful. We also had contributions from Linda Clarke on the construction side of the industry and Dr Phil Johnstone on the links between civilian and defence nuclear projects.

You can catch up with a recording of the webinar below.

Nuclear power: a harmful distraction to climate change? A Labour CND webinar

Register for the Zoom link

At the COP28 climate talks in Dubai in December, 22 countries including the UK, signed a declaration to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050.  In March, the first ever nuclear power summit was held in Brussels where Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency said “Today I can assure you that nuclear is coming back, and coming back strongly.”

But can there be a “vision of a nuclear for peace and prosperity” that supports the action we need on climate change? 

Labour CND does not believe this is the case.  In October last year, we set out our arguments against nuclear power in a new pamphlet: Labour, Climate Change, and Nuclear power – Not Cheap, Not Safe, Not Peaceful.  It covers the history of Labour’s support for nuclear power and why the labour movement needs to oppose this technology – whether old or new nuclear.

This webinar will look at the points made in the pamphlet and explore the renaissance in nuclear power. It will lead off with an overview of Labour CND’s pamphlet by Sam Mason, the principle author. Contributions from Linda Clarke will look at the construction side of the industry and Dr Phil Johnstone will emphasis the links between civilian and defence nuclear projects.

As opinions among environmentalists, the labour movement and even some anti-nuclear weapons campaigners remains divided, this is a pivotal moment to ensure a well informed debate. In particular, not just about the technology of nuclear power but the political and social justice dynamics of it.

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.

Cast your vote now in NEC elections

Voting in Labour’s National Executive Committee elections has begun. Use yours by noon on 12 November or lose the chance to have you say.

Grassroots Voice candidates had the most local party nominations. It’s time to turn that support into votes and elect Constituency Labour Party reps who are committed to nuclear disarmament, will defend party democracy and support progressive anti-austerity policies.

Your ballot should have arrived in your inbox by now. The email comes from labourelections@cesvotes.com and has ‘Your ballot – Labour Party elections’ in the subject line. If you haven’t had an email, check your spam folder. You can apply to have your ballot reissued. Monday 26 October is the ballot reissue day.

Labour is using STV, single transferable vote, for the first time in these elections. STV is more complicated than first-past-the-post voting system it replaces. STV means it’s really important how you order your votes – who you put first, second, third, etc.

All the organisations in the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance have agreed a region by region priority order that will maximise the chances of getting the #GV6 elected. The order of preference for each region is reproduced below. If you’re unsure about which Labour Party region you’re in, use Momentum’s helpful postcode finder.

Want to know more about how STV works, check out Single Transferable Vote Explained.
And you can read the statement of each #GV6 candidate here

Hear #GV6 candidates on peace and internationalism

Labour CND asks our supporters to vote for the Grassroots Voice candidates for constituency places on the Labour Party National Executive Committee. Why? Because these candidates are committed to nuclear disarmament as part of a peaceful, internationalist platform for Labour.

Hear what each of the #GV6 candidates have to say on international policy, click on the images below:

Gemma Bolton


Yasmine Dar

Ann Henderson


Nadia Jama

Laura Pidcock


Mish Rahman

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

Labour NEC elections

Nominations for the Constituency Labour Party places on Labour’s National Executive Committee have closed. All six Grassroots Voice candidates are on the ballot, and the battle for votes is on. Labour CND Co-Chair CAROL TURNER reports.

A total of 454 local Labour Parties made nominations, which LabourList claims is the highest number in any NEC election, Of the 66 candidates who sought nomination for the 9 CLP places, 42 have won the 5 nominations needed to make it onto the ballot paper.
Labour CND urges support for ‘the #GV six candidates. We did so because they are the  one group of candidates standing on an internationalist manifesto, explicitly committed to peace and nuclear disarmament.

Momentum, Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, and Labour Representation Committee are among the 13 Centre Left Grassroots Alliance organisations backing #GV candidates. A CLPD spokesperson welcomed the good results for the six, saying that nominations showed ‘there is mainstream support amongst Labour members for defending a socialist policy agenda and democratic rights for members’.

The campaign to win support is far from over. The first time use of an STV voting system, as opposed to first past the post, makes it much harder for candidates to cross the finish line. A divided vote for the NEC by-elections in February saw progressive candidates lose places that could otherwise have been won. Watch this space for information about STV, and tips on how to rank your favourite candidates.

Help Save Labour’s Minister of Peace

Labour CND urges all nuclear disarmers, whether or not you’re members of the Labour Party, to take a minute to lobby Labour MPs and leadership candidates and let them know you want to retain the post of Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament. Set up under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Fabian Hamilton MP has been Labour’s first ever Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament since 2016.

Save Labour’s Minister for Peace

Labour’s 2019 manifesto promised that ‘international peace and security will be a primary objective of a Labour government’s foreign policy’. Under Jeremy Corbyn a new post of Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament was established, with a brief to pursue these issues across policy areas.

Labour CND urges everyone who supports nuclear disarmament to help ensure this post is retained by the new Labour leader. Please contact Keir Starmer and ask him to retain this post, and write to your local Labour MP if you have one to let them know that this is important to you.

It only takes a minute to participate in our online lobby. Here’s how