Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Write to your represenatives to sign the pledge

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Published on Thursday, 05 October 2017 13:43

As you will be aware, there is a new UN Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) signed by more than 50 member states which will soon be coming into force. Parliamentarians across the world played a major role in realising the TPNW through their actions in the campaign. Now we are seeking their help to promote the signature and ratification of the treaty by all nations. The Parliamentary Pledge is a commitment by parliamentarians around the world to work for their government to join the treaty.

Given the position of the Scottish Parliament in opposing nuclear weapons, this is a very important way in which they can put pressure on the UK Government.

You can see if your parliamentarians have signed here.

If they have not, please ask your MSPs and MPs to sign it.

Send them a letter (model below) and follow up with a phone call to their office. If you are unsure who your representatives are, this website might be of help https://www.writetothem.com.

Response to US leads missile interception tests in Scotland

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Published on Wednesday, 27 September 2017 10:44

Scottish CND have responded to a report in the Independent newspaper article which gives details of a huge new military exercise involving thousands of troops, ships and fighter jets.

Arthur West chair of Scottish CND said:

We understand that the purpose of this exercise is to practise shooting down nuclear missiles.

We also understand that US forces are leading the exercise alongside troops from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.

Mr West added:

It is also very unsettling that the exercises are taking place until October 18 in what is known as the MOD's Hebrides Range, which is just off the north-west coast of Scotland.

It is the view of Scottish CND that the UK Government would be more effective in safeguarding the population if it supported the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Mr West said that the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons which was recently adopted by 122 nations at the United Nations offers a way forward to rid our world and country of nuclear weapons.

Instead of indulging in war games off-Scottish coast the countries involved would better serve their populations by supporting a ground breaking treaty which offers real peace and security to our world.

Scottish CND highlight the nuclear weapons elephant in the room

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Published on Wednesday, 27 September 2017 09:54

Scottish CND say that the storing of US nuclear weapons in Europe is an elephant in the room which needs to be dealt with.

Arthur West chair of Scottish CND said -

It is our understanding that the US spends a remarkable 100 million dollars annually to store nuclear weapons in five different European countries.

Mr West said:

"Research by Scottish CND and other peace movement groups indicates that 150 US nuclear bombs are stored in underground bunkers in Germany, Holland, Turkey, Italy and Belgium."

Nuclear Ban - Citizen's signing ceremony

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Published on Thursday, 21 September 2017 14:49

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons opened for signing on 20 September 2017, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This was a historic moment, when heads of states and foreign ministers gathered in New York for official signatures on this groundbreaking treaty. More than 50 countries signed in the first 8 hours. 

As the UK is against this international initiative, Scotland wanted to show solidarity and support for the ban treaty and organised its own Citizens Signing Ceremony in front of the Scottish Parliament. Many MSPs signed, along with campaigners, tourists from all parts of the word or local people passing by the parliament. 

More photographs 

Motion supporting Defence Diversification passed at the TUC conference

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Published on Friday, 15 September 2017 12:40

Scottish CND have given a warm welcome to a motion passed at the TUC conference at Brighton this week.

The text of the motion is set out below .

Defence, jobs and diversification

Congress welcomes the ‘Lucas Plan’ 40th Anniversary Conference held in Birmingham in November 2016 and agrees that the Plan was an idea from which we can learn much today. 

The Plan was a pioneering effort by workers at arms company Lucas Aerospace to retain jobs by proposing alternative, socially useful applications of the company’s technology and their own skills. Forty years afterwards, we are facing a convergence of crises – militarism and nuclear weapons, climate chaos, and the destruction of jobs by automation – which mean that we have to start thinking about technology as political, as the Lucas Aerospace workers did.

However, in the four decades since the Plan was drawn up Britain’s manufacturing industry has shrunk from 25 per cent to 14 per cent of GDP, with the ‘defence’ industry now representing 10 per cent of all manufacturing. Britain cannot afford to lose any more manufacturing skills and capacity, and ‘defence’ workers are rightly concerned about the potential loss of jobs, for example if Trident replacement is cancelled. 

Scottish CND call for a diplomatic response in relation to North Korea situation

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Published on Wednesday, 30 August 2017 11:14

Arthur West, chair of Scottish CND has said that the increasing tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities require an urgent diplomatic solution.

"People across the world are finding the current situation absolutely frightening.

During the Korean War in the early 1950's more than three million people lost their lives . Should war erupt again there could be an even bigger loss of life particularly if nuclear weapons are used."

"Scottish CND is strongly supporting a diplomatic solution to the current situation.

We are therefore happy to endorse the call by the United Nations General Secretary for talks involving China ,Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the US. We would also suggest that these talks give priority to establishing a North-East Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone."

Arthur West concluded by saying that it is also vitally important that all parties to the current dispute refrain from proactive military exercises and inflammatory and aggressive public statements.