Richard Burgon signs the Parliamentary Peace Pledge!

Posted: 17th September 2020

Peace campaigners across the Yorkshire region received a huge boost to their efforts this week when Leeds East MP Richard Burgon became our latest Member of Parliament to pledge support for a global ban on nuclear weapons.

The 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is currently passing through the United Nations, having been ratified by 44 member states. Once fifty states have ratified the Treaty, it will enter into international law. The UK government, along with other nuclear weapon states, has refused to sign or engage with the Treaty despite paying lip service to a desire for peace and multilateral disarmament.

Richard Burgon, commenting on his support for the pledge, stated: “Proud to sign the Nuclear Ban Parliamentary Pledge. The UK government refuses to back the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. That must change. We need to rid the world of nuclear weapons. The horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be repeated.”

Yorkshire CND are hoping that other elected representatives will be adding their voices to the pressure for disarmament by signing the pledge of support for the Treaty. If you want to try and get your local institutions and representatives to support the pledge, please do get in touch. You can access the pledge itself via the link below.