CND news items

Posted: 6th January 2022

Hello CND Groups! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year. 2022 has already got off to an interesting start with the statement on nuclear weapons by the permanent five members of the UN Security Council. But as Kate points out, warm words alone will not make the world a safer place.

Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill

This coming Monday, 10 January, MPs will vote on the government’s controversial new law that will make ordinary households bankroll the nuclear power industry. With energy prices already soaring, the last thing we need is for consumers to be stuck paying for expensive, long-delayed and dangerous nuclear energy projects.

We urgently need to contact MPs to ask they vote against the Bill. On our website you can find a model letter to send to your local MP as well as a new briefing specifically on the Bill and its implications that sets out exactly why it would be so disastrous.

Newspaper adverts appeal

We’re planning to take out adverts in newspapers across the country to coincide with the 2022 spring budget, to demand that precious public funds are not wasted on increasing the UK’s arsenal of nuclear warheads.

Spending billions of pounds on these illegal warheads would be gobsmacking at any time, but especially so now while our society continues to be battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

We need your support to make this advert campaign happen, and having your group’s name featured is a great way to show the depth of feeling in your area. You can find the donation page for the appeal on our website.

Upcoming events

The start of this new year is absolutely packed with events.

Chief among them is our Working for Peace in the Middle East online conference. We’d hoped to hold this last spring, but it is no less important now. Our guests in the afternoon of Sunday 20 February include peace campaigners from Israel and Iran, and arms trade expert Andrew Feinstein. See the event page on our website for the agenda and make sure to register via Zoom to ensure your place.

We’re also excited to be hosting a webinar on nuclear convoys along with Nukewatch and Nuclear-Free Local Authorities. These military lorries carry the deadliest cargo on our roads, but we know that public authorities are completely unprepared for any serious accident – how could they be? Please see our website for more details on the webinar and register via Zoom.

We will also be holding a webinar to mark the launch of Dr Rebecca Johnson’s report on the implications of the UN’s TPNW nuclear ban, with guests including Kirsten Oswald MP, journalist Julian Borger and UK disarmament ambassador Aidan Liddle. Originally scheduled for 10 January, this will now take place later in the month, but please see our website for more details and to register.