Letter from Nigel Day in the Oxford Times

Posted: 21st January 2021

Treaty bans nuclear weapons.

Oxford City Council agreed overwhelmingly a resolution in January 2020 to encourage the UK government to take action on nuclear weapons by backing the multilateral UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Oxford City joined hundreds of towns and cities and 122 nations who voted in favour of banning nuclear weapons.

Now 51 nations’ parliaments have ratified the treaty and the treaty will enter into force on Friday 22nd January 2021. It makes nuclear weapons illegal in the countries that sign the treaty and will outlaw nuclear weapons. The UK government refused to participate and is one of nine countries that have nuclear weapons Almost 200 countries do not.

It is important to appreciate that this Treaty is unique, as it is focused on the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons. The new treaty will make it illegal under international law to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess, stockpile, transfer, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons. It also makes it illegal to assist or encourage anyone to engage in these activities. 

Freedom of Information requests have revealed that Oxford University has accepted funding and worked with the UK Atomic Weapons Establishments who design and produce UK nuclear warheads. The entry in to force of the treaty gives the University and the Government the opportunity to engage in the global nuclear disarmament process to give us all a world without nuclear weapons.

Yours

Nigel Day

Oxford CND