campaign

THE MAGAZINE OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT SUMMER 2012

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, 162 Holloway Rd, London N7 8DQ Tel: 020 7700 2393 Fax: 020 7700 2357 enquiries@cnduk.org www.cnduk.org

CND

Inside n Latest Trident replacement news n No to NATO posturing n The struggle against nuclear power in India n Achieving a nuclear weapons-free Middle East n Milford Haven: no alternative to Faslane n Join the Cut Trident bloc on 20th October

Editorial

Economics that really add up

countries since 2010. Cuts in government spending have amounted to some 487 billion euros and accounted for almost 70% of the austerity packages in a number of countries including the UK. The rest has been raised by increasing direct and indirect taxes. In the UK we have actually seen tax cuts for the rich and only two countries France and Luxembourg - have introduced tax increases for high earners. Most countries focus on measures that will hit the poor hardest. But things are not improving. In the midst of this global economic crisis, world military expenditure totalled $1.73 trillion in 2011, slightly more than in 2010. Also, according to Global Zero, the total global cost of nuclear weapons in 2011 was $100 billion, with the US spending more than $61 billion and Russia nearly $20 billion. meantime, the US seems to be extremely anxious about almost everywhere else as it continues with its Global War on Terror. And so it goes on This is the basis of world security threats and counter threats of extreme violence! This is the thinking that leads more and more states to feel they need to be able to threaten neighbouring populations with the ultimate in destructive killing power nuclear weapons. Even if it means their people remain hungry, sick and homeless. How does this make sense? However, people are waking up to this situation. The political situation in Greece is fast moving and, in France, the election of President Hollande is due to a desire for real change. The good news about Hollandes election is that EDFs plans for a new nuclear power programme in the UK are stalling. EDF is 83% state owned and Hollande may force the company to concentrate on the French energy market instead of committing to enormous, risky investments in the UK. Moreover, Hollande has also pledged to lower Frances reliance on nuclear energy. This all means that Hinkley Point C is unlikely to be built until at least 2021 and perhaps not at all! Perhaps we need stimulus rather than austerity? In the UK we have royal jamborees and the Olympics to stimulate us but their economic impact is transient. Our government could set a marvellous example by cutting weapons manufacture and export, getting rid of the costly and unnecessary Trident system and spending less on defence. Instead it can spend much more on welfare, education and the construction of renewable energy systems, greener housing and public transport repairing and building instead of planning for destruction that adds up well for me.

Dave Webb, CND Chair

HE NEWS is full of the Greek economic crisis but how much do we know about the disastrous impact of Greeces military overspending? Dodgy arms deals are hardly new of course, and we know how international aid is often dependent on the purchase of military hardware, but these connections are now being more widely recognised. Greeks, unhappy with the austerity being imposed on them, are seeing how their countrys financial problems are related to defence spending. In 2010, Greeces military budget was almost seven billion euros. Thats about three percent of its economic output, the highest figure in NATO apart from the US. Indeed Greece was Germanys biggest arms customer. Is it any wonder that people are asking why the government was allowed (even encouraged) to spend so much on weapons while being told to dramatically cut wages and pensions? Throughout Europe we have seen the economic crisis get worse despite three years of austerity and enormous sacrifices being made by citizens. Austerity measures have been imposed by 17

This is the thinking that leads more and more states to feel they need to be able to threaten neighbouring populations with the ultimate in destructive killing power nuclear weapons. Even if it means their people remain hungry, sick and homeless.
So why is it deemed that austerity is required in some areas of activity but not others? How do economic models justify this? Apparently, Greece is worried about Turkeys build up of weapons but Turkey is probably eyeing Russias nuclear and conventional arsenals and Russia is very concerned about the US and NATO stationing missile systems in Europe. In the

Opinions expressed by authors in Campaign are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the policies of CND.

Campaigns

Cut Trident actions and news

This years campaigning has seen a sustained focus on opposing Trident replacement. As well as all the street work and lobbying conducted by local groups, here in the London office we organised a Budget Day protest, worked to get a new EDM tabled and published three new reports, writes Ben Folley, Campaigns Officer.
Government announces new submarine design contracts On the 18th June, Defence Secretary Hammond announced a 1.1 bn contract to redevelop the Rolls-Royce site at Raynesway in Derby in order to produce the reactors for the Trident replacement submarines and place an order for the first one. Parliamentary CND members Angus Robertson (SNP) and Caroline Lucas (Green Party) ensured Hammond was called to the House of Commons for questioning over this. Prior to that, in May the government approved new contracts worth 350 million for the design of the Trident replacement submarines, which will largely be paid out to BAE Systems, with some smaller contracts to Babcock Marine and Rolls-Royce. New motion tabled by antiTrident MPs Following the end of the longest Parliamentary session for 150 years and the first Queens Speech in two years, a new Trident Replacement Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled. Noting both the conclusions of the National Security Strategy that nuclear weapons are a lesser threat, and the procurement and lifetime cost of the new submarines, the EDM argues there are greater spending priorities and that the government should cancel plans to replace Trident. Labours new policy review chief opposed Trident replacement In an interesting twist in the Labour Party, leader Ed Miliband has made changes that could open up its policy review process to a wider discussion on Trident. Liam Byrne has been replaced by Jon Cruddas, the union-backed candidate for the Deputy

Leadership in 2007 who voted against Trident replacement. This doesnt necessarily mean an immediate change of policy but does suggest the party will be more open to debate. New reports on Trident As well as the discussion in Parliament in recent months, we have also seen an increasing debate in the public arena. In Nowhere to Go, Scottish CNDs John Ainslie discusses how there is no suitable alternative site to the Clyde base in England or Wales, should Scottish independence leave Trident homeless. In Dropping the Bomb, a CentreForum thinktank report published just after this, Toby Fenwick argues for Trident replacement to be abandoned but the UK to retain a threshold nuclear status

with the money reallocated to spending on conventional military equipment. Also new is CNDs Cut Trident and its replacement briefing detailing the costs, modernisation plans and timetable for the replacement programme. Fresh off the press this month, Disarming Trident draws on further work by John Ainslie to comprehensively outline the steps down the nuclear ladder needed to disarm and dismantle the Trident system beginning with taking Trident off patrol. This report will be circulated among MPs and journalists before the summer parliamentary recess. Budget Day Cut Trident protest Special new placards produced for our Whitehall protest opposite Downing Street on Budget Day enabled demonstrators to specify their own alternative spending recommendations. Those in academic gowns were joined by students urging money for Trident to be spent cutting university fees, whilst others in hospital scrubs were joined by real NHS staff opposing cuts in health spending. PCS union General Secretary Mark Serwotka plus around a dozen MPs including Jeremy Corbyn, Caroline Lucas, John McDonnell, and Glenda Jackson also took part.

Take Action: EDM 96

Within just a few weeks of being tabled, 60 MPs have already signed up to this new EDM thanks to 1,000 emails sent in by CND supporters using our new online lobby tool. If you havent already emailed your MP about this EDM please do so today via the link on our website: see www.cnduk.org

Viewpoint

NATOs nuclear posturing

Dave Webb, CND Chair

N May, the NATO Summit Meeting in Chicago brought together the leaders of the 28 NATO nations and 22 partners in the International Security Assistance Force (NATO assumed permanent leadership of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan in 2003). As you might imagine the only really positive message from Chicago at that time came from the peace movement! I was there for the protests and to take part in the Counter Summit for Peace and Economic Justice on 18-19th May organised by the Network for a NATO Free Future. The anti-NATO march was unprecedented and trade unions and the Occupy movement joined in. This coming together of peace and economic justice groups is important, as the final statement of the Network states: The rising global peace and justice movement works from the premise that poverty, inequality and militarism are forms of violence that constitute an endless cycle that can and must be broken for the survival of humanity. Each feeds off the other, and all must be challenged. On Sunday 20th May around 15,000 of us marched through the streets of Chicago. Thousands of riot police, many shipped in from other cities menacingly lined the later stages of the route holding thick wooden batons. The rally at the end heard moving speeches from 45 ex-servicemen and women from Veterans for Peace about their experiences in Afghanistan and how they became disillusioned with the system which they once believed in. I will not continue to trade my humanity for false heroism said one. At the end of their speeches they threw their medals in the direction of McCormick Place where the NATO leaders were meeting behind heavily guarded doors. The outcomes of those discussions were much less inspiring. Four are worth noting: 1. A Strategic Plan for Afghanistan

No to NATO protest in Chicago

whereby NATO would hand over to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by the end of 2014 but with a long-term commitment to stay involved much longer. 2. The adoption of Smart Defense the sharing of costs during a time of austerity. NATO heads agreed to over 20 projects which would involve new ways of cooperating to become tightly connected, trained and equipped so as to operate together in any environment. NATO clearly sees itself as a global force and in March conducted a huge military exercise called Cold Response 2012 in Norway and Sweden. NATOs expansionist policies may soon extend to plundering the resources of the Arctic region. 3. A declaration on missile defence apparently an interim capability (an

Recent polls show that the majority of people in the US and UK want cuts in military spending and a rapid end to the war in Afghanistan. NATO can no longer justify its existence. It only knows how to deal with problems through force. However, the time for endless wars, military expansionism and austerity measures caused by unsustainably excessive military spending are over. It is also committed to retaining nuclear weapons as long as they exist in other words it will ensure that they continue. Thats why we must continue to campaign strongly against NATO. n See the Network for a NATO Free Future: www.no-to-nato.org for more information.

initial stage in the linking together of different assets provided by different states) is up and running and a command and control capability at Ramstein, Germany has been established. Talks with Russia have broken down. 4. The Deterrence and Defence Posture Review has committed the alliance to create the conditions for further reductions of nonstrategic nuclear weapons assigned to NATO. Yet, despite a number of NATO countries calling for the role of nuclear weapons in the NATO strategy to be reduced and the 180 or so US free-fall B61 nuclear bombs stationed throughout Europe to be removed, the review proposes instead for them to be replaced by upgraded, precisionguided nuclear weapons at a cost of 2.5bn to be carried on new US F35 strike aircraft (costing 63m each).

NATO
NO TO NATO

Interview

Raising the reality of war

The war in Afghanistan has been waged by NATO for over a decade and has cost the UK alone over 20 billion. Tens of thousands of civilians and several thousand soldiers have lost their lives. Finally, Obama now intends to begin the process of bringing troops home. Peter Stevenson, a primary school head teacher at the start of the war, had his face splashed across national and local news for daring to urge other teachers to discuss the war and suggest peaceful dialogue and resolution instead. CND Campaigns Officer Dawn Rothwell talks to him about this action.
Your action was thought of as controversial what prompted you to raise the issue in the way you did? The 9/11 attack had just occurred and, as head teacher, I was concerned that the children at my school (a primary in Exmouth Devon) understood the reality of what had gone on. There was some evidence that pupils were confusing the violent and dramatic graphic/video images in their computer games with reality, so we talked about the desperately sad details of the incident but also discussed how similar atrocities occur in other parts of the world but are often not reported by the media. There was then the rather excitable desire nationally and locally to respond to 9/11 by invading Afghanistan. I was disturbed by the way the issue was being presented in an unbalanced way. The idea that Bin Laden and his supporters would be captured by bombing towns and villages in Afghanistan was nave so I encouraged the children to consider alternative arguments such as nonviolent conflict resolution. We talked about how war might make matters worse. How did the pupils respond in the debates you raised? The children responded well, so did their parents. They listened to the arguments of the Blair-led government which were supported by the local pro-military Tory MP. We also talked about the philosophies of Ghandi and Martin Luther King so that the children could form their own opinions. The governors of the school declared a position of support. What effects do your think your actions had? It was interesting that these discussions provoked such national excitement. My actions were reported in all national daily and Sunday papers and I was the Radio 2 phone-in topic of the day. I was accused of treason because I was talking to children about peace at a time of war. However, it was not all bad. I received support from countless people from around the country, and abroad. Some Sunday Telegraph readers wrote to say that, whilst they did not necessarily agree with a pacifist position, they thought that I was doing a good job in raising the issue with children. It seems to me that there was a fear that speaking so openly to children, and their parents, about the alternatives to war would in some way weaken the war effort. The controversy appeared to centre on the fact that, not only were children being introduced to an alternative view, but as an openly-declared CND member I would influence them. However, a local authority investigation showed that my work was presented in a balanced way. Would there have been so much commotion, I wonder, if I had supported the war? A local peace group was formed at the time which is still active today. Would you do the same thing again? Of course. I didn't like the attention and the fuss, especially around my young family, but I don't regret it. Next time, however, I would ensure that I was part of co-ordinated action with other teachers, trade unionists, CND and other members of the peace movement. I would also inform, in advance, MPs like Jeremy Corbyn and Caroline Lucas to encourage them to make supportive remarks. How do your feel about announcements recently that most NATO troops will now leave Afghanistan by 2014? It's great news and interesting that support for the war has waned significantly over the last five years. The troops should of course come home this year.

n Peter Stevenson now runs drama workshops in Somerset schools on the themes of race equality, peace and human rights: see www.playintheday.co.uk and is also a performance poet: see www.seventenpoets.co.uk

Campaigns

The slow road to peace

Patricia Pulham, Christian CND Co-ordinator

DECADE AGO, former CND Chair Janet Bloomfield suggested a specific campaigning approach Dialogue with Decision Makers. The idea was to build up relationships with those with pivotal views on nuclear weapons decision-making by approaching them as ordinary human beings with the same concerns as the rest of us and getting real conversations going. This inspired Christian CND to begin creating opportunities for dialogue with the London embassies of the nuclear weapon states and the New Agenda Coalition countries making the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) one of our major focuses. Signed in 1970, the NPT comes up for review every five years. The first of the three Preparatory Committee Meetings (PrepComs) of the 2015 review cycle was in 2012. The task of this meeting was to set the 2015 Review Conference agenda. Often no mean task, this year it was achieved on the first day due to the skilful work of Australian Chair, Ambassador Woolcot. At the 2010 Review Conference, 64 action points were adopted to further the treatys aims and states agreed to report on their progress in 2014 and 2015. Although the nuclear power and non-proliferation actions have moved forward, most of the 22 actions on nuclear disarmament are far from being achieved. One of this years PrepCom tasks was to devise a means of measuring their progress. CCND went there to learn and lobby. Beforehand, we visited the embassies to discuss their hopes for the conference and help set up private meetings with the delegates. These visits were invaluable in ascertaining the right questions to ask. There was no need to be a nuclear

weapons expert to attend the Conference: we gained greatly in knowledge by networking with international campaigners, attending the government NGO briefings at which various countries representatives spoke, and listening to the main debate where the different states laid out their official positions. During the conference Iran accused France and the UK of breaking the terms of the NPT by agreeing the Teutates Treaty (a new bilateral treaty which agrees both countries to 50 years of sharing nuclear weapons facilities at Aldermaston and Valduc). Yet, its the UKs plans to replace Trident that even more roundly break the NPTs terms! Hopefully, a campaign can be developed with our French friends. Each morning we held a short interfaith prayer-vigil outside the UN building with our banners visible to all

New resolution against nuclear weapons

Citing the extremely serious humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use, an historic resolution was passed at the end of 2011 by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. Calling for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, the resolution was a principal point of discussion at the NPT PrepCom.

the early UN workers. It was also relatively easy to meet with delegates informally in the coffee queue and ask their opinions there! CCND set up particular meetings with the Irish delegates and the Holy See Representative. We were also invited to a meeting with the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office group who assured us that cooperation with the French is only for cost-saving purposes. Sharing facilities apparently has nothing to do with the warhead modernisation or development as the UK believes in nuclear disarmament in the long term and is working on verification with Norway. This year, for the first time, the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use were a central point of discussion and were referred to on a number of occasions by, among others, the New Agenda Coalition and Holy See. There were fringe events on the worldwide famine that would be caused by nuclear war and the medical effects of radiation too. The Japanese contingent, including Hibakusha, was ofcourse well able to testify to this. It is easy to feel however that no real practical progress was made at the PrepCom. However, a major UN Conference on the humanitarian aspects was agreed for 2013 in Norway. Another is planned on a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East at the end of 2012 in Finland (see pages 8-9). The fact that a growing number of nations are now calling for a nuclear weapons convention an international ban on nuclear weapons, also gives us cause for optimism. n For more analysis of this years PrepCom proceedings see the Reaching Critical Will website at www.reachingcriticalwill.org and the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy website at www.acronym.org.uk

Viewpoint

The same struggle

All over the world people are rising up against nuclear power, even more so in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. In March in the UK a thousand protestors surrounded the site at Hinkley Point in Somerset planned for the first new nuclear reactor in decades. Another event is planned for October see p.15. Dr Amrit Wilson, writer, activist and member of South Asia Solidarity Group, explains how in India too, new build is being pushed forward by the government, despite it being strongly opposed.

ACK IN 2008, in the face of huge public protests Indias Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed a special nuclear deal with US President George Bush. The deal lifted a threedecade US moratorium on nuclear trade with India despite it remaining one of the few countries which has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In addition to reversing half a century of non-proliferation efforts and accelerating the nuclear race in South Asia, the deal allows US corporates to build reactors in India and to sell India nuclear equipment (including outdated equipment). In return for this favour India signed the notorious Hyde Act under which it must follow a foreign policy congruent with that of the United States in supporting and allying only with countries which are the US governments friends. Since then, with economic gurus and government scientists declaring that India must reach a nuclear power capacity of a massive 63,000 megawatt by 2032 or else endanger that sacred entity, its growth rate, the government has tried to push through plans for new nuclear power plants. In every case local people have protested in huge numbers. In Jaitapur in Maharashtra state, for example, large demonstrations have meant that a French-backed nuclear power project has been delayed for several years. In West Bengal, protests have meant the state government has now refused permission for a nuclear facility. Most recently, Koodankulam in Tamilnadu state in South India has

witnessed an intense struggle by local people against a 2,000 megawatt nuclear plant being built in collaboration with Russian company Atomsroyexport. The demonstrators are demanding that construction is halted for safety reasons. They stress that it violates the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Guidelines because Koodankulam is in a tsunami and earthquake-prone region, which has also experienced small volcanic eruptions and is affected by water shortages. The plant is also in violation of the mandatory requirement for construction of fresh water reservoirs which are essential in case of a nuclear accident. A primary factor in all major nuclear accidents such as at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, was lack of fresh water. The protestors also demand public disclosure of mandatory safety reports. So far all they have been provided

under Indias Right to Information Act is a document giving scant information and dating back to the Soviet era. The government has responded to these entirely non-violent protests by deploying thousands of police and paramilitary forces in an effort to commission the reactor in a militarystyle operation. Protesters are being intimidated, harassed, imprisoned, and falsely charged. In the last eight months in one police station alone charges have been brought against over 55,000 people including 6,500 for sedition and war against the state. Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code has been imposed on the villages surrounding the plant to even prohibit peaceful assembly. The reactor, set to go critical at the end of May, is now scheduled to do so in early July. Yet, even at this stage, international solidarity actions with the struggle on the ground could help to prevent this. An earthquake, a tsunami, even a minor malfunction and Koodankulam could become another Fukushima or Chernobyl. What happens here as one woman protester from the adjoining fishing villages said, is not just about our lives in these villages, an explosion here could affect the whole of India and spread through the Indian Ocean to more than half the world. n For more information about the struggle against Kookandulum see www.DiaNuke.org and sign the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/thedangers-of-koodankulam-nuclearreactors-in-south-india

Can we achieve a nuclear weapons-free Middle East?

Kate Hudson, CND General Secretary

The only option is concerted, transparent and productive diplomatic negotiations where the security concerns of each state are acknowledged in order to move towards a peaceful and sustainable resolution.

ESPITE President Obamas fine words on nuclear abolition, the United States is projected to spend $700bn on nuclear weapons over the next decade. Rather than complying with its NPT commitment to disarm, it is modernising with a vengeance. So, it should be no surprise that when Barack Obama says Iran must meet its obligations, his words cut no ice in Tehran and much of the rest of the world. Indeed, the history of US intervention and manipulation in the Middle East (and specifically Iran) and its brazen pursuit of national interests in the region have built a foundation of distrust which continues today. From its role in the 1953 overthrow of Mosaddegh, to the disastrous war on Iraq and beyond, the US has alienated and threatened states which fail to comply with US policy prescriptions. Former President George W Bush infamously named Iran, along with Iraq and North Korea as part of the Axis of Evil and placed them on what came to be known as the nuclear hit list in the US Nuclear Posture Review. Meanwhile, the major regional power, Israel, enjoys the economic and military backing of the US, as well as an important privilege: the absence of controversy

over its nuclear programme. Such double standards do nothing to draw Iran to the negotiating table. Yet when Iran is judged to be failing to meet its NPT obligations, the US and Israel raise the spectre of preventative military intervention. The past decade has seen the tragic consequences which can emerge when genuine concerns over nuclear proliferation are hijacked for cynical gain. Supposed fears over Iraqs possible development of nuclear weapons were ratcheted up and used as the catalyst for a US-led regime change operation. The parallels are clear, and while the jury is still out on Irans nuclear ambitions, only one conclusion can be drawn: there can be no military solutions to this problem. Neither limited air strikes on key facilities nor a full-scale ground invasion are justified or conscionable. The more

ZO

severe military option a ground invasion would be catastrophic on all counts. The human cost would be dreadful and the possibility of sparking a wider conflict in the region does not bear thinking about. The only option is concerted, transparent and productive diplomatic negotiations where the security concerns of each state are acknowledged in order to move towards a peaceful and sustainable resolution. The good news is that this year the UN will be holding a major conference on a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone (WMDFZ) in the Middle East. Convened by the veteran Finnish diplomat Jaakko Laajva, this conference aims to bring together all of the states in the Middle East to start building the groundwork for the realisation of this crucial goal. While this conference has been in the pipeline since the mid-1990s, it was only at the NPT Review Conference in 2010 that the 189 member countries called for the conference finally to take place, with the date being set for 2012. The conference has certainly been a long time coming. But with the prospect of Iran, Israel and delegates from all of the Middle East states being brought to the table for frank discussions on security and disarmament, hopes for genuine progress have emerged over recent months. If the US really wants to see a lasting solution to the problems of the region, it needs to exert productive diplomatic pressure and not simply ratchet up the talk of military conflict. It could start by suggesting that Israel, as the only nuclear armed state in the Middle East, should attend this vital conference. Our own government must also bring pressure to bear to ensure that progress is made. Jaakko Laajva has called for civil society input to the conference process. In response to his request, CND is holding an international conference: Building towards a nuclear weapons-free Middle East civil society input to a new Helsinki process on Saturday 13th October, to draw together UK and Middle Eastern activists. All are welcome.

International Conference: Building towards a nuclear weapons-free Middle East: Civil society input for a new Helsinki process & CND AGM and Policy Conference, Saturday 13th Sunday 14th October 2012
We look forward to welcoming you to CNDs Annual Conference. Returning to the format of previous years, this years Conference programme will take the form of an open public conference on Saturday with the internal AGM and Policy Conference on Sunday. International Conference On Saturday 13th October all CND delegates will be automatically registered for the International Conference. This will be a unique opportunity to meet and discuss with anti-nuclear campaigners from the Middle East and to feed our views into the planned UN Helsinki Conference. Come and make the most of this chance to shape world events. Our International Conference will take place between 10:00 19:00. It is completely free of charge and open to the general public, so please encourage friends and colleagues to come along! AGM & Policy Conference Our AGM and Policy Conference will follow on Sunday 14th October 2012, between 10:00 17:00 (with registration all day Saturday and between 09:00 10:00 on Sunday) Both events will take place at the Institute for Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchair users. Registration fees Delegates: 40 per organisation Individuals: 12 per person Observers: 12 per person AGM only: free of charge International Conference: free of charge CND Conference website More information and all conference registration forms can be found at: www.cnduk.org/conference This page will be updated with the latest details in the lead up to Conference.

Key deadlines
Nominations (directly elected) 4 July Resolutions 9 July Constitutional resolutions and amendments 29 Aug Registration with accommodation 21 Sept Registration without accommodation 5 Oct Emergency resolutions 8 Oct

You can contact us in any of the following ways: Email with the subject line: CND Conference 2012 to Hannah Altendorff officemanager@cnduk.org Write to CAWG, Mordechai Vanunu House, 162 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DQ Phone Hannah Altendorff (Office Manager) on 020 7700 2393

Campaigns

Milford Haven any port in a storm?

The new CND/Scottish CND report Trident: Nowhere to Go concludes that, in the event of Scottish independence and then a refusal to base nuclear weapons there due to strong Scottish opposition to Trident, no other base in the UK would be feasible. Stephen Thomas, Chair of CND Cymru discusses how Milford Haven in Wales is being considered as one of the alternative locations.

TS ALL IN THE NAME, you know. In Welsh, this town is Aberdaugleddau the mouth of the two Cleddau rivers. The resulting deep water harbour in Pembrokeshire is now the UKs fourth largest port in tonnage. And Milford Haven has washed up at nuclear discussion tables over the past year. Last June, a report on the military implications of Scottish independence mentioned it as an option for re-siting Britains nuclear-armed submarines base and nuclear warheads depot, should they be ejected from Faslane and Coulport by an SNPdominated Scottish regime. Milford Havens inclusion on a list of possible alternatives for the nuclear fleet came as a surprise to peace activists in Wales. While there was a Royal Navy dockyard there in the Napoleonic wars, by 1814 this had been transferred to nearby Pembroke. And, though an amphibious base in WWII for US

With tankers using the harbour daily, many feel that it would be too toxic a cocktail to place the Trident fleet and its back-up facilities in such busy waters.
troops D-Day preparations, Milford Haven has no great military pedigree. In its modern manifestation it is notable, rather, for being a strategic energy port. It has two oil refineries, two of the largest liquid natural gas terminals in the world, and significant oil/gas storage areas. Coming through Milford Haven is 25% of the UKs petrol/diesel and 30% of its natural gas supplies. With tankers using the harbour daily, many feel that it would be too toxic a cocktail to place the Trident fleet and its back-up facilities in such busy waters.

Yet spokespeople for the Welsh Government at the National Assembly for Wales are determined to leave the option on the table. In typically pusillanimous statements recently, they said that the Assembly would be keen to explore the opportunities for establishing such a naval base in Wales, as it would deliver highlyskilled jobs. So the brave, new-ish dawn of devolution has led to exciting alternative defence scenarios for Scotland, but mere repetition of Whitehall civil servants tropes here in Wales. With a Labour administration in power in Cardiff Bay, there is no chance of the Assembly reacting with a not on our watch, and not in our backyard statement to the possible shifting of Trident to west Wales. So the reality of the UKs constitutional variable geometry post-devolution may yet be the phenomenon of what some see as an essentially English nuclear force (backed by the US) being moved from one non-English home base to another.

New leaflet from CND

CND has produced a new foldout leaflet with information about Trident, nuclear weapons, and a section on drones. Opening out into an A4 poster, it can be used for people to write their ideas for alternative uses of 100 billion. It is a useful campaigning tool and great for giving out at festivals or for general use on stalls. Order from the CND webshop or phone the office for copies.

10

Book Review A Thorn in their Side: The Murder of Hilda Murrell by Robert Green is published by RATA Books, and is available in paperback from the CND webshop at http://www.cnduk.org/shop for 18.00 plus p&p. Commander Robert Green, prominent anti-nuclear campaigner and former Royal Navy Commander and nuclear-armed aircraft pilot, sifts through the conflicting evidence concerning the murder of his aunt Hilda Murrell in an absorbing new book A Thorn in Their Side: The Murder of Hilda Murrell. Nigel Chamberlain reviews the book discussing Roberts belief that his aunt may have been murdered because of her knowledge about nuclear power and issues surrounding the Falklands war.

N HER BLOG CND General Secretary Kate Hudson [Thatchers dirty tricks and CND, CND website] drew our attention to Cabinet papers from 1981 which revealed Trade Secretary John Biffens warning to Prime Minister Thatcher not to underestimate the electoral damage the anti-nuclear movement could inflict on the Conservative party. She explains that, with a General Election imminent, Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine established the DS19 unit in March 1983 to counter the growing influence of CNDs policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament within the Labour Party. Smears, lies and false accusations were employed to that end by DS19 which was also working closely with the F Branch of MI5. Understanding how quasi-official sanctions and unaccountable subcontractors were employed to counter undesirable elements is crucial in appreciating just how far the state security apparatus was prepared to go. The sinking of Argentinian cruiser the General Belgrano, in May 1982 effectively committed Argentina and Britain to waging war over what they called Los Ilas Malvinas and we called the Falkland Islands. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had ordered the sinking of the Belgrano, even though it was outside the exclusion zone imposed by the UK and steaming away from the islands. Despite being challenged by some for this act of unprovoked aggression and for the suggestion that the UK had strategic plans to use nuclear weapons, Thatchers electoral support was enhanced by driving the Argentinians from the Falklands. The

whistleblower stories of former senior civil servant at the MoD, Clive Ponting, and former MI5 officer, Cathy Massiter reveal more. The unaccountable activities of Police Special Branch, MI5 and DS19 are brought sharply into focus by their alleged involvement in the death of Hilda Murrell on 21st March 1984. Robert Greens new book, A Thorn in Their Side: The Hilda Murrell Murder could be a crime novel except the plot is too complicated for a fiction writer to dream up. Also, unlike most crime novels, the murder is not solved nor are the real perpetrators apprehended. The sheer scale of the research, compilation and cross referencing of facts, observations and opinions however, and their interpretation through the eyes of a loyal, retired serviceman and law abiding subject of the British Crown, lead one

to the inevitable and chilling conclusion that seeming police incompetence was a cover for state security intervention, liquidation and fabrication. Hilda Murrell was one of those antinuclear activists whose research and writing was deemed dangerous enough by the security state to warrant their full attention to prevent her ideas from spreading and challenging those who held power. It is hard to comprehend in our post-Cold War environment and less ideological times that those who held power decided that those who fundamentally challenged it could legitimately be harassed, have their human rights suspended and be marginalised all in the name of defending freedom and democracy. Contrary to received wisdom, endlessly inferred by enquiring police officers and lazy journalists, Commander Robert Green did not leave the Royal Navy a disaffected or disillusioned 38 year-old. He was not infected with Hildas anti-nuclear virus nor had he passed on any sensitive military secrets to her about the sinking of the Belgrano. Green had learned, through many years of hard graft and intelligence gathering, that the country which he was unquestioningly loyal to, and even prepared to go on a suicide mission to deliver an air-launched nuclear bomb to defend, was rotten at the core and protected by an unscrupulous and corrupt bureaucracy which, if challenged, could react viciously. n Nigel Chamberlain is a former CND Press Officer and Council member now active writing articles for NATO Watch.

11

Treasurers report
The 2011 Accounts NDS ACCOUNTS for the year ending 31st December 2011 will be available on the website and from the CND office from July 16th. The major points are covered below. During 2011, operating income was 728,370 and operating expenditure was 632,667. After taking into account a small fall in the value of our ethical investments there was an overall surplus of 92,309. Income in 2011 was higher than that in 2010 (728K versus 670K). Subscriptions and regular giving, bank interest and legacies all fell slightly, but appeals income, donations and new fundraising activities increased. A CND raffle took place for the first time in many years and was very successful, as was a fundraising dinner. In late 2001, CND was also the beneficiary of a particularly welcome, significant donation ring-fenced for peace education work in 2012. Also very welcome was another donation specifically intended for trade union work. Expenditure in 2011 was slightly lower than in 2010 (633K versus 655K), with most types of expenditure following this trend. Membership and fundraising costs increased, mainly due to the costs of the raffle (prize money and external administration).
Phone, broadband & mobile

Income Subscriptions & regular giving Appeals Grants and donations Fundraising activities Legacies CND's Management charges to NET Interest Total

2011

2010

296,274 303,507 156,683 137,911 168,411 139,586 41,926 19,448 56,399 59,807 1,568 1,472 7,109 8,724 728,370 670,455

The overall surplus was added to the campaigning reserve; the general reserve was maintained at 100K and the fixed asset reserve maintained at 50K. The campaigning reserve therefore increased to 420K at the end of 2011, compared to 399K at the end of 2010. Total reserves now stand at 668K, up from 575K at the start of 2011. Many thanks to CND staff, members of the Admin and Finance Group and our many volunteers for their work. The Nuclear Education Trust (NET) NET made only four grant awards during 2011. CND peace education work was the major recipient with a grant awarded to cover CND Peace Educations basic costs until the end of 2014. A grant was also awarded to BASIC as a contribution to its cross-party Trident Commission. Two other small grants supported further work on the Oxford University Press Peace Encyclopaedia and a website building on previous work for a Peace Trail in Manchester. NET reserves continue to fall and work on fundraising and profile raising is the NET Trustees particular priority. A major Trustees activity in 2011 was to introduce more formalised policies and procedures in response to the Charity Commissions concerns about the transparency and independence of NETs grant-giving activities. These included the introduction of a conflict of interest policy, a grants policy and a three-year strategic plan. The compliance case opened on the charity has now been closed as the Charity Commission is satisfied with changes NET has introduced.

Expenditure Campaigning activities: Direct campaigning costs 261,381 278,008 Regions 55,198 52,835 Specialist sections 2,700 3,000 External campaigns 2,000 5,375 Peace education 45,919 46,633 Membership and fundraising 123,457 113,027 Policy and decision-making 7,023 11,931 Support costs 133,550 142,535 Taxation 1,439 1,832 Total 632,667 655,176 Investment loss/gain -3,394 7,415 Overall surplus/loss 92,309 22,694

services nd mobile adband a ith a di erence e, bro Get phon coms supplier w om a tele fr time

at port CND ...and sup

the same

credit you a 10 e will give pporter, w nd will go su r spe As a CND 6% of you ork t bill AND excellent w on your rs tinue their them con help to CND to

Call: 0845 458 9040

Visit: www.thephone.coop/CND QUOTE: CND and AF0267

Staff salary increased 1.5% in 2011, less than the rate of inflation which decreased costs. Salaries were 22,768 (basic), 27,833 (with London weighting), and 35,525 (General Secretary). Overall, staffing costs were 53% of all expenditure before regional grants are taken into account. The value of CNDs ethical investments decreased to 57,399 from 60,793 in 2010, following our 50,000 investment in 2001.

n More details on the NET accounts and its activities can be found at www.nucleareducationtrust.org NET, a company limited by guarantee, registration number 05530662, Charitable Registration number 1118373, Registered Office 162, Holloway Road, London N7 8DQ.

12

Membership

Generous contributions from members enabled CND to get its message across on London buses in the run-up to Budget Day

ED like to say a big thank you to all our members and supporters who were able to donate to CND in the past few months, whether through membership subscriptions, donating to a specific appeal, buying our merchandise or however else you chose to support the organisation. CND would not exist without you. Wed like to make special mention of everybody who wrote to the Chair of the NPT PrepCom expressing their support for a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East. Kate Hudson was able to hand in your letters on the conference floor in Vienna. Thanks also to everyone who emailed Defence Secretary, Phillip Hammond after his announcement of design contracts for the new generation of nuclear armed submarines, and to everyone who contributed towards the cost of our bus adverts in London. Your support and campaigning is very much appreciated

to www.cnduk.org/shop to see our full range of brilliant badges, terrific t-shirts and marvellous miscellaneous items. Legacies Income from legacies makes a huge difference to the amount of work CND is able to do. If you would like more information about leaving a legacy to CND you can find it at www.cnduk.org/ legacies, otherwise call us on 020 7700 2393 or email legacies@cnduk.org and well send you a copy of our information pack A Legacy for Peace.

100, and there is lots of CND merchandise to be won, as well as 50 gift memberships. The raffle will be drawn on 5th December, so the lucky winners will have their prizes in time for Christmas. Last years inaugural raffle was very successful (congratulations to Miss Windebank who won 3,000, and to Mr Gay who won 1,000, as well as all the other prize winners) so please sell or buy as many tickets as you can and hopefully we can raise even more for the campaign this year. 20% off merchandise in July As ever we have a great range of CND related goods for sale in our online shop, and were offering Campaign readers 20% off the cost of their order throughout July. Just enter july2012 in the Gift Vouchers & Coupons section of the payment page when you check out. Go

Raffle The 2012 CND raffle has just been launched, with a top prize of 3,000! Tickets can be ordered from the office by phoning 020 7700 2393 or bought online at www.cnduk.org/raffle. The second prize is 1,000, there is a third prize of

Photo: CND Vice-President Pat Arrowsmith leaving her legacy to CND.

13

Trade union update

BUSY summer has already begun for CNDs Trade Union work. We organised leafleting at the May Day demonstration in London and have had stalls at the PCS conference in Brighton and the UNISON stall in Bournemouth. Our newly-revised Great Trident Jobs Threat briefing has now arrived. In it we argue that Trident is less justifiable than ever because it is cash rich yet jobs poor. The briefing was popular at the UNISON

conference and we will also distribute it at the forthcoming Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival which we have decided to attend again this year following the success of last years participation. Between 9-12th September CND will have a stand and a fringe meeting at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton. If you are able to help at this four day event please let us know: email tradeunions@cnduk.org Such a summer of activity will ready us for a mass TUC national demonstration on Saturday 20th October in London. The demonstration will march under the banner A Future That Works and, based on the fact that the TUCs 2011 March for the Alternative brought 500,000 people out onto the streets, it is hoped that this march will be even bigger. CND will be organising a Cut Trident bloc

on the demonstration so please join us to ensure our anti-nuclear message is heard loud and clear. nFor copies of The Great Trident Job Threat please contact the office.

In the news. . .
Census case dropped against Mayor of Stroud Interviewed in the spring issue of CND Campaign, John Marjoram, Mayor of Stroud told how he was taken to court for refusing to fill in the UK census form because of US arms company Lockheed Martins contract to run it. Pleading not guilty in the first instance, he was due to appear again in court in May but his case has since been dropped. Although somewhat relieved at this outcome, Marjoram rues the chance he has lost to raise the issue further in the public domain and test it in the High Court. Hundreds of radioactive sites across UK Rob Edwards in The Guardian explains how a new government report from the Department of Energy and Climate Change reveals that up to one thousand, but more likely around 150-250, sites in the UK could be radioactively contaminated. Old factory sites and military bases are the concern. Dont bank on the bomb ICAN recently published a valuable and detailed study identifying 322 banks and financial institutions across the world which are funding nuclear weapons development and manufacture. In the UK, the report finds that those banks most heavily involved are Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Read the report at www.dontbankonthebomb.com Geothermal could replace nine nuclear power stations A fifth of the UKs electricity requirements (equivalent to nearly nine nuclear power stations) and the bulk of our heating needs could be met by using geothermal power according to a new report by engineering consultant Sinclair Knight Merz. Nevertheless, although the government is prepared to subsidise costly nuclear power in the UK, there is so far no such similar incentive for geothermal investment even though it too can provide baseload power. The government has instead recently agreed to explore opportunities for importing geothermal electricity from Iceland. Lord Browne criticises new NATO nuclear stance In a debate in the House of Lords (29th May 2012), former Defence Secretary Des Browne was highly critical of the new NATO Deterrence and Defence Posture Review (see p.4). A missed opportunity to repair relations between the US and Russia, Browne warned of the risk of sleepwalking back into the Cold War. Bemoaning the lack of progress towards any disarmament he added: All tactical weapons in Europe not only pose a risk to this continents safety and security, they lack any credibility to deter 21st century threats have no practical military value for the alliance any longer, and one cannot find anyone in uniform who says that they do.

14

Muriels Grapevine

Future events
26-30th July
Peace News Summer Camp at Crabapple Community, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Making Nonviolent Revolution is this years theme with a whole-day workshop cofacilitated by renowned US activist George Lakey plus many other workshops over the weekend. Also includes music, film, and facilities for kids and families. Book online: see www.peacenewscamp.info

6-9th August
Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations are happening across the country and include an Hiroshima Day Ceremony on 6th August from noon at Tavistock Square, London with speakers to include Kate Hudson, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jean Lambert MEP and the Mayor of Camden. Contact your local CND group for details of your nearest event and also see the events section of the CND website.

Gearing up for a Chernobyl Day stall and action in Kendal

HROUGH persistence and dedication, campers at the Faslane peace camp have kept this highly visible opposition to nuclear weapons going for 30 years this June. To mark this important occasion, peace activists and CND and Trident Ploughshares members have taken part in 30 days of events and non-violent direct action from 9th June to 9th July. Just a few of the events planned have included a peace march, peace picnic, academic seminar roadblock and Rise Up singing action. The 30 Days action began with three peace campers dropping a huge banner from a 150ft tall crane in Glasgow which read Nuclear disarmament. If not now, when? The campers and their banner remained on the crane for an entire day. Cumbria and Lancs CND members were busy during the spring helping support the work of local campaigning groups such as Radiation Free Lakeland, Save Our Lake District and the Heysham Anti-Nuclear Alliance to raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear power and the gigantic nuclear waste dump planned for their area. Members held a Chernobyl Day commemoration action with a stall in Kendal town centre. There they

gathered many signatures for a letter to Cumbria County Council outlining concerns about the dump. Plans for this are going ahead despite the findings of a major geological survey in the 1990s which concluded that the Lake District geology is unsuitable for such a purpose. As part of the annual Burnley May Day Rally East Lancashire CND members held an information stall on this theme and took part in a march with members of the Community Clarion Choir whom, they report, endeavoured to be heard over the sound of the brass band playing. Christian CND worked with ICAN UK and the Aldermaston Womens Peace Campaign to organise an Alternative Queens Peace Party on Nuclear Abolition Day in June. Despite the rain, there was no dampening of spirit during the service and following picnic and party. The event was crowned off with a parade and conga!

6-13th October
Keep Space for Peace week: an international week of protest to stop the militarisation of space concentrating awareness on the extensive satellite systems which make up the eyes, ears and brains of modern warfare. Actions planned at Menwith Hill and Fylingdales with a 10th Annual Rally at Croughton from 12-3 pm on 6th October. More details to follow on the Yorkshire CND website: www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk

8th October
Reclaim Hinkley: mass trespass at the site of new nuclear build at Hinkley Point power station, Somerset. Trespass or support the trespass by joining us at Hinkleys perimeter fence. More information on the Stop New Nuclear website at stopnewnuclear.org.uk

13-14th October
CND International Conference: Building towards a nuclear weaponsfree Middle East & CND AGM and Policy Conference see page 9.

20th October
TUC national demonstration A Future that works in London. Please join the Cut Trident bloc on this mass march and demonstration. More details to follow.

15

Contacts Regions and areas

Cumbria & Lancs Area CND 13 East Road Lancaster LA1 3EE tel: 01524 33991 r.allwright@lancaster.ac.uk East Midlands CND 43 Cobden Road Chesterfield S40 4TD tel: 01246 235723 mathews@greenbee.net Eastern Region CND The Flint House Dunburgh Rd, Geldeston Beccles NR34 0LL tel: 0845 337 0282 underthepumpkin@gmail.com Gtr Manchester & District CND Bridge 5 Mill, 22a Beswick St Manchester M4 7HR tel: 0161 273 8283 gmdcnd@gn.apc.org www.gmdcnd.org.uk Kent Area CND 2 Mill Cottages, Mill Lane Preston, Canterbury CT3 1HG tel: 01227 722508 chris@vfast.co.uk www.medwaycnd.pwp.blueyonder. co.uk/kent London Region CND Mordechai Vanunu House 162 Holloway Road London N7 8DQ tel: 020 7607 2302 david.lrcnd@cnduk.org www.londoncnd.com Merseyside CND 54 Mount Pleasant Liverpool L3 5SD tel: 0151 702 6974 mcnd@care4free.net www.mcnd.org.uk Mid Somerset CND & Peace Group info@midsomcndpeacegroup.org.uk South Cheshire & North Staffs CND Burslem School of Art Queen Street, Burslem Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3EJ tel: 07778 913528 scanscnd@ymail.com www.scanscnd.org.uk South West Region CND The Peace Shop 31 New Bridge Street Exeter EX4 3AH tel: 01392 431447 cndsouthwestregion@yahoo.co.uk Southern Region CND Flat 12, Eliot House 483 Portswood Road Southampton SO17 2TH tel: 02380 328335 anna.maria@dsl.pipex.com Sussex Peace Alliance 67 Summerheath Road Hailsham BN27 3DR tel: 01323 844269 geowcpuk@gn.apc.org http://peacebourne.webplus.net /SPA Tyne & Wear CND 1 Rectory Avenue, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1XS tel: 01912 857260 West Midlands CND 54 Allison Street, Digbeth Birmingham B5 5TH tel: 0121 643 4617 wmcndall@gn.apc.org www.wmcnd.org.uk Yorkshire CND 2 Ashgrove Bradford BD7 1BN tel: 01274 730795 info@yorkshirecnd.org.uk www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk

Specialist sections
Christian CND Mordechai Vanunu House 162 Holloway Road London N7 8DQ tel: 020 7700 4200 christians@cnduk.org www.gn.apc.org/ccnd Labour CND 11 Pembury Road Worthing BN14 7DN info@labourcnd.org.uk www.labourcnd.org.uk Student CND Mordechai Vanunu House 162 Holloway Road London N7 8DQ tel: 020 7700 2393 info@studentcnd.org.uk www.studentcnd.org.uk Youth & Student CND Mordechai Vanunu House 162 Holloway Road London N7 8DQ tel: 020 7700 2393

National offices
CND Cymru Llys Gwyn, Glynarthen Llandysul, Ceredigion SA44 6PS tel: 01239 851188 heddwch@cndcymru.org www.cndcymru.org Irish CND PO Box 6327 Dublin 6, Eire tel: 00 353 86 362 1220 irishcnd@gmail.com www.irishcnd.org Scottish CND 77 Southpark Avenue Glasgow G12 8LE scnd@banthebomb.org tel: 0141 357 1529 www.banthebomb.org

Peace Camps
Aldermaston Womens Peace Camp tel: 07969 739 812 info@aldermaston.net www.aldermaston.net Faslane Peace Camp Permanent. A814, Shandon, Helensburgh Dumbartonshire G84 8NT tel: 01436 820901 faslanepeacecamp@hotmail.com Menwith Hill Womens Peace Camp Contact Yorkshire CND for details.

Join the CND Cut Trident bloc on the TUC national demonstration in London, on 20th October

For all groups details including regional and local groups see the CND website: www.cnduk.org/get-involved/cnd-groups

Campaign is printed on 100% recycled paper

16