Oxford City Council wants the British Government to back a treaty to scrap nuclear weapons

Posted: 10th February 2020

NEWS RELEASE

Ban Nukes Call by Oxford City Council

Oxford City Council wants the British Government to back a treaty to scrap nuclear weapons. A resolution was agreed overwhelmingly by the City Council on Monday 27th January. It was proposed by Cllr John Tanner (Littlemore) and seconded by Cllr Martyn Rush (Barton & Sandhills).

John Tanner said, “Replacing Trident missiles is costing Britain a huge £205 billion, twice the cost of the high-speed rail line, HS2. Nuclear weapons are costly, outdated and ineffective. Most countries, including Ireland, Germany and Japan, manage perfectly well without them”, he said.

Oxford City Council wants the UK Government to renounce first use of nuclear weapons, end the renewal of Trident and to sign the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).          

Martyn Rush said, “I am concerned about the huge cost to the taxpayer of nuclear weapons, the risk posed by the regular transport of nuclear weapons on Oxfordshire’s roads and the continuing threat of nuclear war.”

Mr Nigel Day, representing Oxford’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), spoke to councillors before the motion was debated. He told them, “Trident warhead convoys regularly travel past Oxford on the A34, supporting the UK nuclear weapon system. We are that close to nuclear weapons”.

After the meeting Cllr Tanner said, “I’m thrilled that Oxford is backing this treaty to begin scrapping these weapons of mass-destruction. If there was ever a nuclear war the world would be plunged into perpetual winter and the survivors would all starve to death”, he added.  

Britain has 4 nuclear-armed submarines, each with 8 missiles, each of which carries 5 independent nuclear warheads. Each warhead is 8 times more destructive than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.

Cities around the world supporting the TPNW include Paris, Berlin, Sydney and Los Angeles. In the UK Manchester, Edinburgh and Norwich have passed similar resolutions to Oxford. 122 nations have supported the TPNW.

Youtube record of council meeting:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fv-INcnJw

The entire council meeting is available on YouTube. Nigel’s address to the council starts at 3 hours 26 minutes. The debate and vote, which was allowed time because Councillor Henwood withdrew his motion, was the last business of the meeting and starts at 4 hours 59 minutes. It’s really worth watching!

More information: Cllr John Tanner 01865 251441 & 07816 837805

Cllr John Tanner (Labour)

Littlemore ward, Oxford City Council

32 Sunningwell Road

Oxford OX1 4SX

Tel 01865 251441