News from National CND

Thank you to everyone who joined Saturday’s successful demonstration at RAF Marham against Britain’s purchase of nuclear-capable F-35A fighter jets. Over 200 joined this vibrant protest from across the country, including Plymouth, Great Yarmouth, London, Cambridge, Norwich, Nottingham, Derby, and Yorkshire.

The protest sent a strong message to the government to halt the purchase of nuke jets and end Britain’s military alliance with the dangerous Trump administration now waging an illegal war on Iran.

Thanks also to the thousands of members who have lobbied their MPs urging Starmer gives parliament a chance to debate the far-reaching implications of nuclear expansion. If you haven’t, please email your MP, demanding that they demand a debate on the nuke jet purchase. You can use our easy lobby tool here.

Nuclear weapons, racism, and the growth of the far right – CND webinar, 3 March

There’s still time to sign up to tomorrow’s webinar, Nuclear weapons, war and racism: why we must unite against the far right. We’ll explore the racist history of nuclear weapons, how militarism is making communities poorer, and how the whipping up of racism and hatred has been used to dehumanise whole populations and create ‘enemies’ to justify wars, like the devastating illegal war and occupation of Iraq.

• Tuesday, 3 March 
• 7:00-8:30pm
• Online, register here

With guest speakers including Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP; Roger McKenzie, CND Vice-President; Junko Ozawa, member of TUC Black Activists’ Network and Royal College of Nurses; and Sabby Dhalu, co-convenor of Stand Up to Racism and interim officer of Together Alliance. Chaired by Sophie Bolt, CND General Secretary.

CND is a supporter of the Together Alliance and this webinar is helping to build support for the Unite Against the Far Right national demonstration in London on Saturday, 28 March. More details here.

Hands off Iran – No to War: Emergency protests in London and at RAF Fairford, 7 March

Since Israel and the US illegally attacked Iran on Saturday, the crisis has escalated to drag more of the Middle East into a wider regional conflict.

Despite claiming that bases like RAF Fairford in Gloucester and Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands will not be used to bomb Iran, Britain has allowed US aircraft flying to the Middle East for its military build-up to use bases such as Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Prestwick airport in Scotland as staging posts for overnight rest stops and refuelling. Following the initial attacks on Iran, Keir Starmer said that that US bases in Britain can be used to attack Iranian missile sites in Iran.
British aircraft are also flying to “defend” Israeli and US forces and bases – freeing up aircraft for use in attacks. It is highly likely that Britain has shared intelligence information with the US in support of the attacks.

Events are developing quickly but this is a highly dangerous situation that risks spiralling out of control. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency has warned that mass evacuation of cities across the Middle East may be necessary if civil nuclear power stations are attacked leading to radiological release.

We need to keep up the pressure on the British government to stop its support for this illegal military action. CND is supporting two demonstrations this Saturday, 7 March, in Central London and at RAF Fairford.

• Saturday, 7 March 
• 12 noon, Central London, more details here
• 1:00pm, RAF Fairford, more details here

Read CND’s statement condemning the illegal attacks on Iran here.