News
FT reveals problems with Trident renewal
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- Published on Monday, 14 December 2015 11:08
Two articles in the Financial Times provide a new insight into the problems facing the Government’s plan to renew Trident. Both are written by Peggy Hollinger, the paper’s Industry Editor. The front page of the paper says that the Cabinet are considering nationalising the nuclear submarine part of Rolls Royce. The company has issued five profit warnings in two years and there are fears of a foreign take over. Defence Procurement Minister Philip Dunne said the government was “concerned that Rolls Royce ... is capable of performing its nuclear obligations”.
Letter to Jeremy Corbyn
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- Published on Thursday, 26 November 2015 15:27
In the light of the Labour Party's abstention in the Trident debate on 24 November, Scottish CND has sent the message below to Jeremy Corbyn.
We are surprised to hear that you abstained in the vote against the renewal of Trident, and we are unhappy that the Labour Party decided to adopt a policy of abstaining on this key moral issue. We have been contacted by a large number of our members concerned about this apparent reversal of your previous position. We are writing to you to give you the opportunity to respond to these concerns.
Scottish MPs oppose Trident as costs soar
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- Published on Tuesday, 24 November 2015 11:47
The contrast between views on Trident in Scotland and the rest of the UK are likely to be highlighted today. 95% of Scotland's MP are expected to vote against Trident renewal in a House of Commons debate. The motion says "That this House believes that Trident should not be renewed". Most Labour MPs are expected to abstain or not be present. A small number have indicated that they will vote with the Tories for Trident.
Shadow Chancellor John Macdonnell has urged his Labour colleagues to abstain on what he has told the press is an "SNP stunt". This is despite the fact that he and the new leader Jeremy Corbyn were amongst a handful of Labour MPs who voted for a similar SNP motion on 20 January this year.
Far from being a "stunt" the debate is a well-timed opportunity to tackle the issue of Trident the day after David Cameron announced that the initial manufacturing costs of Trident had risen from £25 billion to £41 billion and that the new submarines, which had been expected to enter service in 2028, would not now be operational until "the early 2030s". Earlier this year it was revealed that there were major problems in the MOD's management of the defence nuclear programme, following a review led by Jon Thompson, Permanent Secretary at the MOD, and Air Vice Marshall Stuart Peach. Thompson said that Trident was a "biggest financial risk we face in future". It was a "monster" which kept him awake at night (Guardian).
Don't Bank on the Bomb
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- Published on Sunday, 15 November 2015 13:44
A broadly based campaign focussing on the links between banks and financial institutions to companies involved in the manufacture of nuclear weapons will be launched at a public meeting in Edinburgh on Monday November 16th. Arthur West chair of Scottish CND said- "I am delighted to announce that the launch of the Scottish Don't Bank on the Bomb Campaign will be kicked off by a public meeting in the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church at 25 Nicolson Street Edinburgh on Monday November 16th at 7.30 pm."Respect Scotland: Scrap Trident!
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- Published on Friday, 13 November 2015 11:58
We have just launched a new declaration calling on David Cameron to Respect Scotland and Scrap Trident.
Sign our petition online, or at one of stalls.
The wording of the petition is
We call on the UK Prime Minister to respect the democratic will of the people of Scotland and cancel the £167 billion plan to renew Trident.
Britain has no record of multilateral disarmament
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- Published on Thursday, 12 November 2015 13:58
Pro-Trident politicians are keen to argue that they only support multilateral disarmament and to dismiss unilateral disarmament. However, the reply to a question in Parliament shows that Britain has no record of achieving any reductions through multilateral disarmament. Paul Flynn MP asked: "how many UK nuclear weapons have been withdrawn from operational service as a result of (a) multilateral negotiation and (b) unilateral action since 1985." On 10 November 2015 Defence Minister Philip Dunne replied: "The UK has a strong record on nuclear disarmament. Since 1985 the WE 177 and Polaris warheads have been removed from operational service leaving only one type of nuclear warhead in service delivered by the Trident missile system. These withdrawals from operational service have been as a result of unilateral action."
Test of upgraded Trident sparks UFO scare
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- Published on Thursday, 12 November 2015 13:30
The flight test of two upgraded Trident missiles resulted in a flurry of concern about UFOs as the missiles were seen streaking across the night sky from California. The tests were taking place to certify new flight control electronics in the upgraded Trident D5A missiles. The new missiles are due to enter service with the US Navy in 2017 and on UK submarines before 2020. The overall effect of the missile upgrade and the related introduction of upgraded (Mk4A) nuclear warheads is to make Trident even more destructive. The new missiles and warheads will be significantly more effective against hardened targets, such as underground bunkers. However, attacks on hardened targets involve detonating the weapon on the surface which creates a masses of radioactive fallout.
Responding to concern about UFOs, a US Navy spokesperson said: "The big, bright flash some mistook Saturday for a detonation, missile intercept or UFO is actually the result of the solid-fueled Trident missile jettisoning one of its three stages."