The dust settles from last week’s national election, and Scottish CND is pleased that the number of MSPs from parties opposed to nuclear weapons and new nuclear power in Scotland has risen to 73.
With the SNP returning 58 MSPs to parliament and the Scottish Greens gaining 7 MSPs, there is again a clear majority in Holyrood for a nuclear-free Scotland.
This is no reason to be complacent, and Scottish CND is already working towards contacting new parliamentarians requesting they sign the ICAN parliamentary pledge in support of the TPNW, if they have not already. We are also pursuing the continuation of the parliamentary Cross-Party Group for Nuclear Disarmament.
Unfortunately, the Scottish government is not afforded powers to determine its own security, and thus cannot legislate against the UK’s omnicide weapons based on our west coast. Nevertheless, it is important for the peace movement in Scotland to have a government that rejects nuclear weapons as a matter of principle, and supports nuclear disarmament through the TPNW framework.
But Scottish CND’s campaign extends beyond simply legislative politics. We aim to strengthen our ties across civic Scotland including in the trades union movement, to advance the agenda of peace and disarmament.
That’s why we attended the STUC last month, and are issuing a call for volunteers to staff a stall at the EIS annual conference in Dundee from the 4th-6th of June.
Our joint SCND / Peace Education Stall at the conference requires staffing on the afternoon of Thursday 4th, from 9am-6pm on Friday 5th and the morning of Saturday 6th. Please contact us at scnd@banthebomb.org if you are a supporter who would be keen to help us campaign at this major trades union conference (travel costs can be covered by SCND).
Finally, we are announcing an emergency partner demonstration with UK CND, who have organised protests outside the Russian and US Embassies in London calling for an end to nuclear threats and the re-negotiation of the New START nuclear arms control treaty.
Scottish CND activists will assemble on Thursday 21st May at 12 noon outside the US consulate in Edinburgh to deliver the same message. Join us if you are based in Edinburgh!
As always, we welcome all enquiries about our current campaigning, and any correspondence in response to these newsletters.