Stop the War coalition Newsletter
Posted: 3rd April 2026
Newsletter 01/04/26
The guilty verdict in the trial against Chris Nineham, vice-chair of StW, and Ben Jamal, director of PSC, is a disgrace. It is not those peacefully protesting genocide who should be found guilty but those who have enabled this crime against humanity. This verdict is an assault on the right to protest and is a clear attempt to silence the Palestine movement. But we will not be silenced. Chris and Ben will be appealing against this injustice.
Since its inception Stop the War has fought against attacks on civil liberties and we will keep on fighting now, both against this outrageous verdict and against the wider attacks on our right to protest. And we will not be intimidated – we will stay on the streets for Palestine until Palestine is free.
Meanwhile the war with Iran continues, and for all Starmer’s protestations the UK is already deeply involved. UK bases are being used by the US to illegally attack Iran and the RAF is helping to defend Israel.
This war has already claimed thousands of lives and thrown the global economy into a tailspin. The impact is being felt in the pockets of ordinary people across the world. In Europe the European Commission has urged people to work from home, to drive and fly less, and we are all being warned of impending shortages in food, fertiliser and fuel.
Could there be a more critical time for an international conference against war?
If 2026 has proved anything it’s that we urgently need a strong international anti-war movement.
More than 900 tickets have already been sold for what will be the largest anti-war conference this country has seen in over a decade. We expect more than a thousand delegates from Europe will be joining us. If you want to be part of this crucial and historic event on 20 June, get your ticket now.
Five reasons you should attend the international conference.
- War and the threat of war is spreading. Trump’s attacks and regime change in Venezuela and the siege of Cuba, the war in the Middle East, threats in the Pacific and the ongoing war in Ukraine all show the world is in a perilous state.
- Militarism is on the rise. Massive hikes in military spending are being seen throughout Europe. Europe is not just rearming but is reindustrialising for ‘defence’. In the UK Starmer has brought forward military spending targets and wants to boost drone and military manufacturing. Macron has called for greater defence cooperation and procurement across Europe, while in Germany Volkswagen is signalling a move from car production to military manufacturing.
- Conscription is on the up across the continent. In France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Eastern Europe the young are being prepared to fight. Here the government clearly plans to introduce conscription by stealth. We have been told to be ‘ready to fight’ and to prepare to sacrifice our children.
- Racism is fuelled by foreign wars - especially Middle Eastern ones. The rise in Islamophobia, the growth of Reform, Labour’s pandering to the politics of hate and anti-migrant rhetoric are all corrupting society and politics, leading to a surge in support for far-right political parties here. Similar currents are witnessed across Europe.
- War comes home to bite. The war on Iran has caused economic shock waves around the world. Oil and energy prices are rising rapidly, fertiliser and food are expected to follow. The cost of living will hit us all and the poor will pay the hardest.
This week’s anti-war briefing
