Trident Ploughshares Backs Yes Vote in Scottish Referendum

YES TO SCOTLAND, NO TO TRIDENT

The nuclear disarmament campaign Trident Ploughshares (TP) is asking people in Scotland to vote Yes in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence as the the best and most immediate opportunity to dismantle Trident in Scotland and the UK, and to provide a new impetus for the worldwide abolition of nuclear weapons.

The campaign says: “Trident Ploughshares supports the call for Scottish independence. We are asking people to vote Yes in September 2014 so as to grasp the unmissable chance of a step towards a Scotland transformed whose security will be based on human solidarity rather than the weapons of war. We want a Scotland whose constitution will ban nuclear weapons. This we believe will cause the rest of the UK to be free of them also and will rekindle hopes of worldwide nuclear disarmament. As international citizens we look forward to a Scotland both able and eager to form equal and respectful connections, and peaceful collaborations, with communities across the globe. We are asking you to share our possible dream.”

TP member Jane Tallents said: “I was one of the group who took our Yes to Scotland, No to Trident message to the mass independence rally in Edinburgh last Saturday.  As thousands of demonstrators walked past our banners we kept breaking into wide grins as we realised from the calls and cheering just how strong the support is for our message. So many came up to us and told us that the chance of getting rid of Trident was a major reason for them voting Yes. It was a huge encouragement!

The risks of leaving the issue of nuclear disarmament to Westminster are just too great. The best on offer there are hopelessly vague indications of reductions in the Trident system that will leave intact the continued threat of mass killing and destruction.

Even a Yes vote will leave the job far from done. In the early days of the new Scotland the pressure will be on to water down principles and sideline pledges.
We will do our bit to ensure that Scotland becomes nuclear free and that we stay out of any nuclear alliances too.”

A Trident Ploughshares TRIDENT NO SCOTLAND YES banner was hung from windows on the Royal Mile and visible to all those gathering for the the YES Scotland march and a Trident Ploughshares contingent joined the pro independence march on Saturday wearing tabards that read TRIDENT NO on their fronts and SCOTLAND YES on their backs.

Photos and report of Trident Ploughshares part in Saturday’s rally at http://tridentploughshares.org/trident-ploughshares-says-trident-no-scotland-yes/