57 Liverpool councillors issue statement against electronic warfare event

‘Councillors for Peace’ call event ‘an insult’

57 Liverpool councillors have issued a statement of opposition to the arms fair that the city’s mayor and senior councillors controversially whipped the Labour-held council not to oppose last month, condemning it as an ‘insult’ to those whose people have been killed by western weapons used by oppressive regimes in one-sided wars and occupations.

Liverpool’s previous mayor had promised an ‘ethical charter’ to prevent such events being held in the city, but the new mayor failed to follow through on the commitment, citing legal concerns even though such concerns had not prevented the council blocking previous bloodsports events or talks by allegedly homophobic speakers.

This is the 57 councillors’ statement:

This is a voluntary statement signed by the councillors whose names are listed below for your attention.

We are councillors from all parties.

We stand in complete, united opposition to the Electronic Warfare Europe [now renamed ACO Europe] event, organised by Clarion Defence.

It is not compatible with the values of the city of Liverpool and is an insult to communities such as those of Syrian, Palestinian and Yemeni heritage.

The event will bring together many of the biggest global arms companies with government and military officials from across the world. Warplanes, missile systems, drones and the technology behind them will be promoted.

A number of dictatorships and military-led Governments have used and continue to use such military equipment to repress freedoms and human rights.

We are for peace, not war.”

Signatories (as of 2 August):

Cllr Lena Simic
Cllr Anna Rothery
Cllr Tim Jeeves
Cllr Barry Kushner
Cllr Sarah Morton
Cllr Sam Gorst
Cllt Maureen Delahunty-Kehoe
Cllr Alfie Hincks
Cllr Alison Clarke
Cllr Ian Byrne
Cllr Alan Gibbons
Cllr Joe Hanson
Cllr Billy Marrat
Cllr Christine Banks
Cllr Anthony Lavelle
Cllr Maria Toolan
Cllr Rona Heron
Cllr Liam Robinson
Cllr Angela Coleman
Cllr Clare McIntyre
Cllr Lucille Harvey
Cllr Liz Parsons
Cllr Lynnie Hinnigan
Cllr Sharon Connor
Cllr Harry Doyle
Cllr Abdul Qadir
Cllr Hetty Wood
Cllr Sarah Doyle
Cllr Cheryl Didsbury
Cllr Lindsay Melia
Cllr Frazer Lake
Cllr Elizabeth Hayden
Cllr Dan Barrington
Cllr Gerard Woodhouse
Cllr James Roberts
Cllr Jane Corbett
Cllr Wendy Simon
Cllr George Knibb
Cllr Tom Cardwell
Cllr Ruth Bennett
Cllr John Prince
Cllr Nathalie Nicholas
Cllr Calvin Smeda
Cllr Tomas Logan
Cllr Pam Thomas
Cllr Ros Gladden
Cllr Roy Gladden
Cllr Pauline Walton
Cllr Steve Munby
Cllr Barbara Murray
Cllr Carol Sung
Cllr Ann O’Byrne

Cllr Steve Radford
Cllr Joe Dunne

Cllr Richard Kemp
Cllr Barbara Mace

Cllr Carran Waterfield

The city’s mayor, Joanne Anderson, is directly elected and not a councillor.

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