CND Press Digest: Monday 3rd June 2024

General Election 2024

• Keir Starmer declares Labour the party of security, adding that he is committed to triple lock for Britain’s nuclear weapons and will raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
• Response from CND to Starmer’s speech.
• Comments from Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey on Starmer’s nuclear weapons commitment.
• CND Vice-Chair Carol Turner writes for CND’s election blog on Britain’s support for Israel’s attack on Gaza.

Global Nukes

• Letter to the New York Times on the dangers of nuclear testing.
• Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) announced on Thursday May 30 that it will conduct two test launches of unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) during the first week of June; the tests will take place on the mornings of Tuesday and Thursday June 4 and 6.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Scotsman: Bosses at a Scottish nuclear complex are being accused of “shipping out” the nuclear site’s managing director over a long-running pay dispute. Mark Rouse has suddenly left Dounreay in Caithness to an unspecified role after making workers a pay offer to end a long-running dispute.

Nuclear Energy

• The White House has unveiled a suite of new measures aimed at slashing risks associated with new nuclear reactor development and construction, underscoring its policy push to champion nuclear.

NATO / Europe

• News item on the CND website about Joe Biden’s recent decision to give Ukraine limited scope to use US weapons to attack targets on Russia territory near the city of Kharkiv. Previously, Biden said this escalatory move could start WW3.
• The Aviationist: The nuclear role transitions from the F-16 to the F-35.
• Sky News: UK defence chief doubts Russia wants war with NATO as he marks D-Day anniversary.
• The Telegraph: Vladimir Putin is testing Nato borders for weak spots, security chiefs warn

AUKUS & Indo-Pacific

• Russia has demanded that the US delegation to the UN disclose any plans for deploying nuclear weapons on the territories of Washington’s allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament