Doomsday Clock to be Reset Next Week

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Published on Wednesday, 15 January 2020 13:46

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock symbolised how close we are to total catastrophe due to human-generated existential threats. It is currently set at only two minutes to midnight. When reset on Thursday 23rd January at 3:00pm GMT it is predicted to be closer still because of the continued climate emergency and risk of nuclear war. Both are heightened by new threats to democracy across the world. 

Scottish CND chair Lynn Jamieson said:

"The planet is in crisis; climate emergency demands total focus but we dare not ignore the nuclear threat. Displacement and conflicts are caused by climate breakdown and raise the probability of wars including nuclear catastrophe. Maintaining a nuclear threat is carbon intensive and heightens the climate emergency. 

Both threats require genuine co-operation across the globe. In the case of nuclear weapons, we have a potentially effective mechanism already in place and backed by a majority of the world's states - the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The complete elimination of nuclear weapons is both essential and achievable. 

The recent surge in awareness of climate breakdown has shown how quickly public engagement can change. The same shift must happen in addressing the threat of nuclear catastrophe, especially since the two disaster scenarios are so closely inter-linked."

Scottish CND will issue a statement following next week's reset of the Doomsday Clock.

Contact: Lynn Jamieson: 07974 631397

Response to Soleimani Killing

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Published on Saturday, 04 January 2020 11:49

Scottish CND chair Lynn Jamieson said:

"The UK government should condemn actions which breed violence and undermine the international legal structures that support world peace. The US extra-judicial killings of seven people in Iraq, including General Qasem Soleimani, does all of this. The tearing up of the nuclear agreement with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia have also undermined peace and are escalating a new nuclear arms race. Russia has just last week announced that it has developed hypersonic missiles which can evade US missile defences while the UK is pushing ahead with new technology in smaller 'useable' nuclear weapons. We are in a situation when all these developments could readily collide. 

In this context the assassination of Soleimani is pouring yet more fuel on the multiple fires in the Middle East with massive implications. We are in the midst of a planetary crisis comprising the climate emergency and the increased threat of global nuclear war. As far as nuclear weapons are concerned the UK Government can act by example by supporting the UM Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons rather than continuing to develop a new arsenal of its own."

Post Election Statement

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Published on Friday, 13 December 2019 15:16

We are pleased that Scotland's view on nuclear weapons is reflected in the election results with an overwhelming majority of our winning MPs having a clear anti Trident stance. It is also encouraging that the issue of nuclear weapons came up so regularly during the campaign on doorsteps and at hustings. It is more of an issue for people than many of the politicians think. Today is the beginning of new chapter in SCND’s campaign for a nuclear-free Scotland working for a nuclear-free, anti-racist world, and responding appropriately to the climate emergency. An anti-nuclear anti-racist stance was explicit and high profile in the SNP campaign and the one remaining Labour MP in Scotland is known for his steadfast opposition to Trident. The election results outwith Scotland are a sober reminder that Scotland is currently part of a United Kingdom which is dead set on continuing to prioritise nuclear weapons at the expense of genuine social and economic security, and to wilfully ignore the planetary crisis. An independent Scotland will follow a better path than the road the UK is being led down. The power is in our hands to rid the whole of the UK from the scourge of nuclear weapons and we should now be planning the vital and sequential steps towards that end. Meanwhile, we must live and act as part of that global groundswell for peace and human security that is behind the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It's a sleeves up moment. At the same time we share the feelings of distress, dismay and actual grief that so many are experiencing today and we wish to express real and heartfelt solidarity with those who are even now picking themselves up to continue the struggle for equality, truth and justice. In particular we salute the courage and the persistence of those in the rest of the UK who work their socks off in the cause of nuclear disarmament in such a hostile climate. We are in this together.

We urge Electorate to vote for genuine anti-Trident candidates

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Published on Wednesday, 04 December 2019 14:03

SCOTTISH CND URGES ELECTORATE TO VOTE FOR GENUINE ANTI-TRIDENT CANDIDATES

With the issue of nuclear weapons high on the agenda in the General Election Scottish CND has issued a call to voters to vote for candidates who are clearly opposed to Trident replacement and seek the total elimination of nuclear weapons from the world.

SCND Chair Lynn Jamieson said:

"All politicians should throw away the tired olf script that dresses up the nuclear threat as if it is security. Ramping up the means of mass destruction squanders scarce resources in a time of climate emergency. The world is moving away from nuclear weapons - as growing numbers of countries commit to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Renewal of the UK nuclear weapons' system, Trident, is giving two fingers to genuine steps toward global nuclear disarmament. We call on members to only vote for candidates who are explicitly against renewal of Trident. We ask Scottish CND members who are signed up the parties with pro-nuclear policies in their manifesto to only show support for anti-nuclear candidates.

In last night's STV debate the Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard mentioned his membership of Scottish CND and yet gave his support to Trident renewal. Membership of Scottish CND is voluntary. We assume that people join because they are committed to nuclear disarmament and fully understand we are campaigning against the renewal of the UK nuclear weapon system known as Trident. It is impossible to make any sense of a scenario in which a member then speaks in favour of the UK retaining its nuclear weapons. We have always understood that Richard Leonard has been a sincere opponent of nuclear weapons and it is regrettable if he has chosen to distance himself from this because of party political pressures.

Contact: Lynn Jamieson: 07974631397

Scottish CND AGM 2019

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Published on Thursday, 21 November 2019 15:59

2019 General Elections

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Published on Monday, 11 November 2019 10:24

What does a general election mean for those of us who want nuclear disarmament? It is a chance to check out the position of all candidates before we decide who we vote for. Let's make sure that Scotland only returns MPs that firmly OPPOSE nuclear weapons and support the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that will ban them globally.

AGM programme & 2019 Resolutions

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Published on Monday, 28 October 2019 10:56

The Scottish CND AGM takes place on Saturday 16^th of November in the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL (9.30 am registration, 10 am start).