National CND news

In this email:

• Letter to PM urges Starmer to rethink nuke expansion
• CND conference to discuss alternatives to war drive this Saturday
• International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Saturday 29 November

As nuclear tensions continue to rise, MPs, trade union leaders and civil society figures, handed in a letter to Downing Street on Monday, calling on Keir Starmer to rethink the disastrous decision to purchase 12 nuclear-capable F-35A jets. These jets will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk and can be armed with B61-12 nuclear bombs deployed by the US to NATO bases across Europe, including RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.

The letter, signed by cross-party MPs and politicians including Green Party leader Zack Polanksi, calls on the government to ‘recommit to disarm Britain’s nuclear weapons, and work to pursue a foreign policy based on de-escalation, diplomacy, and international cooperation.’

You can learn more about the hand-in here, see the full letter and signatories here, and read some coverage here.

Speaking outside Downing Street after the hand-in, CND Vice-President Jeremy Corbyn MP explained why he signed the letter and how you can help CND push for alternative solutions than spending on nuclear weapons and war. You can watch and share the video on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Join CND’s conference this Saturday

Opposing Britain’s nuclear expansionism and the global war drive is at the heart of CND’s conference this Saturday, 22 November. In a preview of the conference, CND Vice-Chair Carol Turner writes:

“With Trump in the White House, the drift to war is beginning to look like a stampede. Alongside these developments… [a] new generation of peace campaigners is taking to the streets of Britain and protesting at military bases seeking to change the public dialogue. We represent the interest of the many. Our daunting but indispensable job is to focus public attention on alternatives to war.”

You’ve still time to book your place at this day of debate and activism,focusing on issues from nuclear modernisation and escalation, to the war in Ukraine, militarism in education, and how militarism is driving climate breakdown.

We can now announce the latest workshops as well as the closing plenary.

Campaigning against war and nukes can help the planet with:

Suzanne Jeffrey, Campaign Against Climate Change; Denis Fernando, Friends of the Earth; Dr Stuart Parkinson, Scientists for Global Responsibility.

Promote the panel on social media: X / Bluesky / -zGWOVK0bG22pr-DfNSwaL0djlbGjPwMW7RBBjq_mfyZ62Tzp60HzqorKmaMr_e8hSYuJCq7g5cUlGScFeloTPr1ErNIvqiyxVJHiXP2knV_FTSkn-VE1I62IJVZL1sTgg0J39-_dTDY-4vwGDCNyihNWbalCSxA8Pve7vxGoX6XEoouB3TAnUDQvzVJnRd/4lq/06BtemnoS5Cfdc3K3V6-cg/h14/h001.uYsHHbswGTn0OGHrbuq-Y0znM1g67gsHiP4Y-DiH7ec”>Facebook / Instagram

Building the movement – organising in our communities with:

John McGrath, Lewisham & Greenwich CND; Jim Scott, PARC Against DARC; Zareen Taj, Lakenheath Alliance for Peace.

Promote the panel on social media: AX3P896A/4lq/06BtemnoS5Cfdc3K3V6-cg/h16/h001.eINxqnly02J5CBIQjUMhef45sN7O2Oo8MKe-y2vWez4”>X / -BYveUkE-40k5RzdhyP4AMpyD-tVSPYEAoesY_xHt8X_O2mTcDLXJ3XBJDOHVISrOfw9n4IJnYY5Qo_6t7rYpWVZhl6mt6Qm64nwOS9fZFDWTORS58v0hlCzD64WYLiXmfXtMj1UBCFBL0P-7uUEI4vagTUm35rYEKV1wbMYZrPuhxY7xvMYs-AC-6RE12BX1qpbqsrKiHyz3JYJEv-Eh0hGEN3BaOCtN6ZRZ3Jn5c-PtFTwVuU_TIuXcI98C35DhPyk6sRm4n2YLghpVkItM9PfICcDnNloqaD2bbOyBu_LwUDlVXfWac7YRAsPubJWqmD-ob7OCpK-Sw/4lq/06BtemnoS5Cfdc3K3V6-cg/h18/h001.T-NcahYSSdVcoDj7Wh7mPyXfbAJKcYnOsiIhBZPVnrA”>Threads / Facebook / Instagram

Closing plenary – Building the movement for a peaceful, nuclear-free, sustainable future with:

Lindsey German, Stop the War Coalition; Sophie Bolt, CND; Grace Da Costa, Quakers in Britain; Micaela Tracey-Ramos, UNISON NEC.

Promote the panel on social media: X / Bluesky / Threads / Facebook / Instagram

To register and to see a full timetable for the day, go to our event page.

March for Palestine on 29 November 

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and wounded in Gaza by Israel since the start of the so-called ceasefire. This week, many UN Security Council members, including Britain, voted this week to back a US resolution that’s formalises Donald Trump’s ‘Peace Plan’ for Gaza – a plan that provides no path to peace at all.

This is why we are urging everyone to join the next national march for Palestine which takes place on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Saturday, 29 November. We’ll be on the streets of London and to keep up the pressure for peace justice and a nuclear-free Middle East.

• Saturday, 29 November
• Assemble 12 noon, Park Lane, London
• Rally at Whitehall

Updates will be posted to the event page.