Day three of the #StopDSEI protests saw a morning of back-to-back successful blockades of both entrances to the DSEI site, meaning vehicles carrying weapons and equipment were blocked from getting in.
Why No to Nuclear?
There is no conceivable situation in which nuclear weapons could ever be used. Indiscriminate killing of civilians and the total destruction of the environment will always be illegal and immoral. The lessons of Nagasaki and Hiroshima surely tell us this.
Yet in July 2016, Parliament voted to renew Trident, at a cost of £200 billion over the next 50 years. The UK spends 2% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) on military projects including Trident, when we should be spending that money building our vital public services.
CND has calculated that the money used to renew Trident could build 120 hospitals and employ 150,000 new nurses, or build 3 million affordable homes. It could install solar panels in every home in the UK, or for one-twentieth of the cost of replacing Trident, we could give everyone whose job is directly dependent on Trident (11,500 civilian employees) a cheque for £1 million. Yep, you read that right. £1 million.
It’s both Conservative and Labour Party policy to renew Trident, so we have to keep up the pressure on both parties. Real security lies in creating sustainable renewable energy industries, not weapons of mass destruction.
What’s the link with the DSEI arms fair?
Many of the companies that are central to Trident replacement will exhibit at DSEI, including:
- Lockheed Martin who build the Trident nuclear missiles deployed by the US and UK.
- BAE Systems who are building Trident’s replacement ballistic missile submarines
- Rolls-Royce who manufacture the nuclear reactors that power the submarines.
Well done to everyone today who took action today to say no to nukes and yes to global abolition.
Here are the highlights from today’s #StopDSEI camp. If you’re sad to have missed the fun, don’t worry, there are still 4 days to go. Join in. stopthearmsfair.org.uk/join-in/
Take action for CND’s campaign for a UN Global Nuclear Treaty Ban
