Cut Trident in the PBR, not public services

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

A hundred figures from across British public life have today called on the government to halt the replacement of Trident and re-deploy resources to more socially beneficial spending priorities in next week’s Pre-Budget Report.

The new Rethink Trident campaign coalition includes celebrities, scientists, academics, former members of the military, writers and politicians from across the political spectrum. It is also backed by several organisations such as Compass, CND, Greenpeace, People & Planet, UNISON and War on Want.

Since 2007, the debate around nuclear weapons has changed dramatically. Polling in September 2009 showed that 63% of people now oppose the government’s plans to replace Trident in the wake of potential public service cuts across the board.

The people and groups below have already signed up to this statement. You can add my name to that list.

“With Britain facing its biggest economic crisis since the Second World War and much debate on public spending levels and priorities, the country can ill-afford to be spending in excess of £76bn on replacing Trident with a new generation of nuclear weapons.

Britain’s security needs are not met by nuclear weapons which can do nothing to combat the threats posed by global terrorism or climate change. The more that countries such as Britain justify their retention and replacement of nuclear weapons on the grounds of an uncertain future, the more likely it is that non-nuclear states will seek to use the same rationale to justify developing their own weapons systems.

Instead of wasting tens of billions of pounds on new nuclear weapons there are many forms of socially useful spending to which the funds could be put; combating child poverty and youth unemployment, providing affordable homes, investing in education and mental and physical healthcare as well as addressing the climate crisis, to name a few. Whilst some are considering cuts to these areas, it is instead Trident that should be cut in their place.

We believe the Government should cancel the replacement of Trident. This would allow for the existing skilled manufacturing base to be re-orientated towards providing for the needs of a post-carbon future, with the potential for significant investment in green jobs.

The Government must be a leading participant in current global initiatives to significantly reduce holdings of nuclear weapons, with the aim of achieving a nuclear-free world. Cancelling the programme to replace Trident would have a transformative effect on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May 2010, greatly boosting the chances of agreeing a timetable for multilateral global disarmament.”

Adam Price MP
Air Commodore Alistair Mackie
Alan Simpson MP
Alasdair Beal CEng
Alasdair McDonnell MP
Alistair Hay, PHD, OBE – University of Leeds
Andrew Simms, Policy Director nef
Angus Robertson MP
Ann Black
Ann Pettifor
Anne Cryer MP
Anuradha Vittachi, Director, OneWorld UK
Austin Mitchell MP
Baroness Jenny Tonge
Bianca Jagger – Human Rights campaigner
Bruce Kent – Vice Chair CND
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Cardinal O’Brien
Caroline Lucas MEP
Catherine Bearder MEP South East of England
Chris Davies – MEP for North West England
Clare Short MP
Colin Burgon MP
Colin Challen MP – Chair All Party Group on Climate Change
Colin Hines, convener, Green New Deal Group
CWU – Billy Hayes
Damon Albarn – Musician
Darren Johnson
David Taylor MP
Diane Abbott MP
Dr Charalampos Tsoumpas
Dr Desmond Turner MP
Dr George Joffé – Centre for International Studies, Cambridge University
Dr Julia Buxton – Peace Studies – Bradford University
Dr Mandy Turner – Lecturer in Conflict Resolution, Bradford University
Dr Phillip Webber – SGR
Dr Rebecca Johnson – Director of the Acronym Institute
Dr Stuart Parkinson
Dr Ute Kelly – Lecturer in Peace Studies, Bradford University
Eddie McGrady MP
Elfyn Llywd MP – Leader of Plaid Cymru
Eric Joyce MP
Frank Boulton, Chair of Medact
Frank Cook MP
Gavin Strang MP
NUT – Christine Blower
FBU – Matt Wrack
George Galloway MP
Gordon Prentice MP
Graham Stringer MP
Green New Deal Group
Helena Kennedy QC
Jean Lambert MEP
Jenny Jones AM
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Jeremy Leggett
John Austin MP
John Gittings – Research Associate – SOAS
John Kampfner – Editor – New Statesman
John Mason MP
Jon Cruddas MP
Joy Hurcombe – Labour CND Chair
Kate Hoey MP
Kate Hudson – Chair – CND
Kate Macintosh MBE – RIBA
Katy Clark MP
Ken Livingstone – Former Mayor of London
Linda Riordan MP
Lord Richard Rogers – Architect
Lynne Jones MP
Malcolm Chisholm MSP
Mark Durkan MP
Mark Fisher MP
Mark Steel – Comedian
Marsha Singh MP
Micheal Meacher MP
Mike Hancock MP
Mike Weir MP
Mohammad Sawalha – President of the British Muslim Initiative
Neal Lawson – Chair, Compass
Neil Gerrard MP
Nigel Griffiths (ex Labour Minister)
NUS – Susan Nash, Vice President Society and Citizenship
NUS – Wes Streeting
Paul Flynn MP
Paul Hilder – Executive Director, Avaaz
PCS – Mark Serwotka
People and Planet
Peter Kilfoyle MP – Former Defence Minister
Prof Robert Hinde CBE FRS FBA
Professor David Webb
Professor Frank Barnaby – Nuclear Consultant, ORG
Professor John Whitelegg
Professor Keith Barnham
Professor Ken Booth – Professor of International Politics, University of Wales
Professor Roy Butterfield CEng DSc
Professor Tim Jackson – Sustainable Development Commission
Professor Tom Kibble CBE FRS
Richard Murphy – Tax Justice Network UK
Sharon Bowels – MEP South East England
Steve Webb MP
The Bishop of Nottingham, Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon, OP
Thom Yorke – Musician
Tony Benn
Tony Juniper – Environmental campaigner
Tony Robinson – Actor and Broadcaster
Tribune – Chris Mclaughlin
UCU – Sally Hunt
UNISON – Dave Prentis
War on Want
Will Straw – Editor, Left Foot Forward