Barrow: Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) protest at BAE shipyard
Posted: 25th March 2025
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) held a national demonstration at BAE Shipyard in Barrow on Saturday 22nd March 2025.
Around 80 people turned out for the protest with some beeps also heard from some passing cars.
CND’s protest comes ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on March 26 and just after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the town. He met with local businesses, school children and apprentices at BAE Systems while defence secretary John Healey laid the keel of the next generation Dreadnought submarine – the next generation of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. / 0:16
Ahead of the CND’s planned protest, MP Michelle Scrogham said: “Whilst these people have the right to come here and protest – I disagree with their views utterly.”At a time of growing international instability and Russian aggression, our nuclear deterrent is what keeps us, and our allies, safe. I met recently with senior military personnel from Finland and Estonia – two countries whose borders with Russia mean they experience the threat posed by Putin’s Russia every day. They could not have been clearer about the absolute necessity of the work we do here in keeping us and our allies around the world safe.”That is why this Government is so committed to our national nuclear deterrent, to the work we do here at our shipyard, and to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP at this time of increasing global instability.”
Around midday on Saturday, protestors met at The Forum for a leafleting session before a rally took place on the High Level Bridge at Devonshire Dock overlooking Barrow shipyard.
CND’s General Secretary Sophie Bolt spoke at the rally.
Speaking to The Mail beforehand, Ms Bolt said: “We have been planning the protests for some time. It is perhaps fortuitous that Barrow has been in the national spotlight this week with the visit from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Faslane.
“First of all, we’re very concerned about the government’s current approach to nuclear weapons and the recent statements by the prime minister and defence secretary John Healey.
“One such comment was around the fact the Trident sub could ‘incinerate 40 Russian cities’. This is very dangerous and reckless language to use and is whipping up global tensions at a very fragile time.”
“Secondly, we’re concerned about the increase in military spending and the hikes to come in next week’s budget. The government is justifying siphoning off billions of pounds to the arms industry.
“Nuclear weapons do nothing to make people safer and are a destructive power that can destroy the planet.
“Having nuclear weapons makes the use of them more likely. They are also a huge drain on public finances that will only make the population poorer and see essential services cut even further.
“Britain’s nuclear programme needs to be scrapped. A report by independent watchdog, Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), that oversees the government’s major projects, expressed serious concern about the viability of eight of Britain’s nuclear weapons programmes. It’s £4 billion project to build new nuclear reactors for the Dreadnought fleet was graded as ‘unachievable’.
“Also, military spending has one of the lowest employment multi-pliers of all sectors. We came here today because towns like Barrow should be at the forefront of a dynamic green economy.
“The town needs sustainable and varied forms of employment that put its people and the planet first.
“Starmer and Healey’s recent visit to Faslane and Barrow is part of the government’s reckless attempt to justify Britain’s immoral nuclear weapons programme.”
budget. The government is justifying siphoning off billions of pounds to the arms industry.
“Nuclear weapons do nothing to make people safer and are a destructive power that can destroy the planet.