“The many thousands of nuclear weapons across the globe pose a continuing threat to humanity; their very existence could have potentially catastrophic consequences for our planet.
We shouldn’t be meddling with nuclear weaponry – we don’t want it, we don’t need it, we
can’t afford it. It’s time to stop fooling around.
Trident and any plans to replace it need to be scrapped. If Britain were to take a unilateral step towards disarmament it would create a powerful push for other countries to do the same, it would also save billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money that could be more usefully spent on hospitals and schools.
The Green Party of England and Wales’s position on Trident reflects the wider public opposition in the UK. Similarly, I am strongly opposed to nuclear weaponry and I will continue to voice my opposition, condemning the continued investment in it as public spending is continually slashed.”
Keith Taylor MEP
With accelerating climate change and escalating inequality hitting
immediately, it is still important to remember that stopping Trident is
necessary (but not sufficient) to avert disaster on both of those
fronts, as well as the obvious threat of nuclear annihilation.
Trident replacement distorts government spending priorities,
perpetuates inequality between nuclear and non-nuclear states, reduces
the chances of negotiating a Nuclear weapons convention and increase the
risk for everyone of the unspeakable act of a nuclear weapons exchange.
All power, solidarity and thanks to those keeping nuclear weapons on
the agenda, in the news and NOT IN OUR NAMES
Best wishes
Lesley Grahame
Green Party Councillor,
Thorpe Hamlet Ward
Norwich
Tel 01603 92080101603 632228
Mob 07711 29821407711298214
Twitter @LesleyJGrahame
“The Non Proliferation Treaty commits the UK to undertake ‘concrete
disarmament efforts’ – I have watched on for decades as government after
government has failed to undertake the basic steps.
Instead, the UK government continues to push further and further down
the nuclear route, most recently through the attempted renewal of the
Trident system. This system, were it to be used, would almost certainly
be a violation of International Humanitarian Law. The Geneva Convention
Protocol very clearly prohibits the use of weapons that are unable to
distinguish between civilian and combatant not to mention the ‘methods
or means of warfare which are intended, or may be expected, to cause
widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment’.
Trident is morally deplorable, legally questionable, and practically
useless. Successive UK governments seem unable or unwilling to see this.
In light of this on-going government inaction, combined with the
severity of the potential consequences of nuclear weaponry, I strongly
support those such as the Trident Ploughshares activists who have
pledged to disarm the UK Trident nuclear weapons system in a
non-violent, open, peaceful, safe and fully accountable manner.”
Molly Scott Cato
Green MEP for South West England and Gibraltar
Sign up to my regular email newsletter or visit my website
Follow me on Twitter: @MollyMEP
Dag allen,
Mijn naam mag ook onder deze oproep.
Erg goed initiatief.
Hartelijke groet,
Bart Staes,
Europees Parlementslid Groen
Dirk Van der Maelen, MP for SP-A (social democrats)
“I regret to inform you that I won’t be able to take part in the
Elected Representatives Blockade on the 28th of June. The end of June
and the start of July is a very busy time at the Belgian Parliament, so
I can’t afford to leave my seat.
I would however like to take this opportunity to convey my support to
youI wouldr actions to stop the renewal of Britain’s nuclear weapon system.
Under the Non Proliferation Treaty, states possessing nuclear weapons
have a legal obligation “to pursue in good faith and bring to a
conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its
aspects”.
As elected representative, I call on all nuclear weapons states to take
their nuclear weapons out of deployment, develop a timetable for
dismantling their nuclear weapons and make a commitment not to develop
any new nuclear weapons.
I believe we, as elected representatives, have an important role to play
to bring the goal of nuclear disarmament closer. Therefore, my party and
I fully endorse the Elected Representatives Blockade of AWE Burghfield
and express our support for non-violent actions against the renewal of
the Trident nuclear weapons system.”
Dirk also posted a piece in Dutch on his website:
http://dirkvandermaelen.be/artikel/buitenland/mijn-steun-voor-protest-tegen-vernieuwing-brits-ke/
where he expresses his support for the blockade and for non-violent
actions against the planned Trident renewal
Alain Top
“Under the Non Proliferation Treaty, states possessing nuclear weapons
have a legal obligation “to pursue in good faith and bring to a
conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its
aspects.
As elected representatives, we call on all nuclear weapons states to
take their nuclear weapons out of deployment, develop a timetable for
dismantling their nuclear weapons and make a commitment not to develop
any new nuclear weapons.
We believe we, as elected representatives, have an important role to
play to bring the goal of nuclear disarmament closer. Therefore, we
fully endorse the Elected Representatives Blockade of AWE Burghfield
and express our support for non-violent actions against the renewal of
the Trident nuclear weapons system”.
Beschrijving: cid:06dd271a-3cc3-47e7-baca-f4924fafbb97@intranet.harelbeke.be
Alain Top
Burgemeester – Volksvertegenwoordiger
Representative of the Belgium Parlement for the Flemish Socialist Group
Marktstraat 29 | 8530 Harelbeke
T 056 733 333 | F 056 733 319
Open: elke werkdag van 9 – 12u | woensdag van 14 – 17u | donderdag van
16 – 19u | vrijdag van 9 – 14u
Elke 2^de zaterdag van de maand van 9 – 12u (enkel onthaal en loket
burger & welzijn) | elke namiddag van 14 – 17u op afspraak