Holyrood support for Global Day of Action on Military Spending

On Tuesday 17 April, the Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) activists in Edinburgh will hold a vigil to protest against huge UK government expenditure on the military and state subsidy of arms exports. Campaigners will call on Holyrood to work towards a more sustainable future for Scottish engineering, away from the business of manufacturing and selling weapons, towards more beneficial and ethical industries.

Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian has highlighted the issue by proposing a parliamentary motion. MSPs are urged to support this campaign by signing the motion Global Day of Action on Military Spending.

Alison Johnstone explained her support for the Global Day of Action:

The UK currently spends around £39 billion per year on its military, more than any other country in the world apart from the United States of America and China, this at a time when spending on welfare and local services is being drastically cut and many people around the world remain in hunger and poverty.

There is now majority support in the Scottish Parliament to rid Scotland of costly and unnecessary nuclear weapons and I will continue to push for progress on this issue. I congratulate CAAT for organising the Global Day of Action on Military Spending.

Imogen Michel, Edinburgh CAAT spokesperson, said today:

Edinburgh CAAT are really pleased that a motion supporting the Global Day of Action Against Military Spending has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament.

We urge MSPs to join our Holyrood vigil on 17 April to demonstrate their support for a more sustainable future for Scottish engineering, moving jobs away from the business of manufacturing and selling weapons, towards new industry with more positive outcomes, such as renewable energy.

The vigil will take place at the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, between 8.30am and 2pm. Supporters are welcome to join the vigil.

The Global Day of Action on Military Spending will see demonstrations taking place across the UK, including at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in London, as well as in Manchester, Hereford and Swansea.

CAAT is encouraging supporters to mass tweet HM Treasury @hmtreasury with their preferred spending priorities and the hashtag #demilitarize.

ENDS

Notes

1. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) in the UK works to end the international arms trade. The arms business has a devastating impact on human rights and society and damages economic development. Large-scale military procurement and arms exports only reinforce a militaristic approach to international problems Around 75% of CAAT’s income is raised from individual supporters.
2. Edinburgh Campaign Against Arms Trade can be contacted via Peace and Justice Centre, St John’s Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH3 4BJ. Email caatedinburgh(at)live·com.
3. The Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) is an international peace initiative. Jointly founded by the International Peace Bureau, based in Zurich, and the Institute of Policy Studies, in Washington, it has since grown to involve organisations and individuals in many countries. The first GDAMS was held on 12 April 2011.
4. Alison Johnstone MSP’s parliamentary motion, entitled Global Day of Action on Military Spending, number SM4-02596, can be found in full here.
5. UK military expenditure stands at £39 billion a year. The UK government subsidises arms exports by £700 million annually.
6. The day will also see the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) release the latest data on global military expenditure. The new figures, for 2011, will demonstrate that world military expenditure was unchanged in real terms from 2010. While financial crises and government cutbacks saw modest falls in military spending in Western Europe and the US, this has been offset by large increases in spending in Asia and the Middle East. SIPRI is an independent institute which researches conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. It provides data, analysis and recommendations, including annual surveys of global military spending, arms sales and arms companies.