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copyright ©Steve Bell 2006/All Rights Reserved
The WMD Awareness Programme is part of a collaborative project (with the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, Oxford Research Group and BASIC) to raise awareness and foster public and parliamentary debate on whether or not Britain should retain nuclear weapons and replace the Trident nuclear weapons system. Raising the issues and engaging opinion-formers and stakeholders have become urgent because of developments in the military-nuclear establishments and the British Government's indication that the decision on a follow-on to Trident will likely be taken in the post May 5, 2005 parliament. This project plans to conduct new and in-depth research, foster debate in Parliament and among stakeholders, raise public awareness at all levels, and create pressure for a high level, non partisan investigation and inquiry into UK nuclear policy in the context of actual security needs and objectives. The project's underlying aim is to move Britain towards recognising that it does not need nuclear weapons as envisaged "for the foreseeable future", and that national and international security will be better served by demonstrating good faith towards full implementation of the agreed "practical steps for the systematic and progressive efforts to implement Article VI".
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The ultimate lecture - ANTHROPOLOGY 101
The Beyond Trident Group have a stunning new film to show the dangers of a civilisation unwilling to heed the warning signs of climate change, the widening ‘Rich/Poor Gap’ and nuclear proliferation. ... more |
BASIC Green Paper on Trident replacement
The government has announced that it intends to publish its White Paper on Monday 4 December 2006, with an announcement to the House soon after an emergency Cabinet meeting. BASIC's Green Paper highlights a number of reasons why it is unnecessary, and undesirable, to rush into a decision at this point. It also raises an alternative option that has so far been largely ignored within the debate, namely the strategy of Britain becoming a virtual nuclear weapon state. ... more |
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Worse than Irrelevant - British Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century
A new report published by the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy presents the information the government should be providing as part of the public and parliamentary debate on the future of UK nuclear policy that needs to take place before any decision is taken on Trident replacement. ... more |
271 and rising: Majority of Backbench MPs demand Trident debate
With only a week until the Queen’s Speech, a majority of backbench MPs have now demanded a debate on the replacement of the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system.
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Blair has given go ahead for new Nuclear Weapons Developments
Greenpeace releases its new report ‘Britain’s New Bomb Programme Exposed’
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WMD AWARENESS PROGRAMME AT THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CONFERENCE
Our stand at the Liberal Democrat Conference was a great success. Delegates were very keen to discuss the ‘Trident Replacement’ issue and to take away lots of information from our ‘Beyond Trident’ publications. The new briefing, ‘Does Britain need to replace Trident – you decide?’ proved a winner.
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BASIC's latest update, 19 September 2006
Includes comments from former Cabinet colleagues, Short and Clarke, "an insult to democracy" and "a convincing argument... has yet to be presented". Former naval officer Michael MccGwire suggests that by "scrapping Trident, Britain could make a real difference to global non-proliferation efforts". Meanwhile, industrial pressure for an early decision is detailed in a BBC report 'The big prize for BAE, and Barrow, is Trident'.
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Does Britain need to replace Trident? - You Decide
New Briefing paper from the Beyond Trident project.
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Churches issue Briefing on the future of Trident
16 June 2006
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) today released a briefing on decisions that will need to be taken on the future of Britain’s nuclear weapons systems. “Trident: UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads” has been prepared in the context of the Government’s statement that a decision on the future of Trident may need to be taken in the lifetime of this current Parliament. This decision could well set the direction for the UK’s nuclear defence for several decades.
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Don't replace Trident!
New campaign pack now available
Do you want to know more about the UK's nuclear weapons and help to make sure that they are not replaced? This pack, available free or for a donation, includes a briefing about nuclear weapons in the UK, an action ideas sheet, a list of key arguments, as well as postcards and petitions to use in the community.
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Why Britain should stop deploying Trident
Report from Greenpeace UK
The search for a role for Trident after the Cold War has produced a destabilising weapon. It has led to a more usable nuclear weapon. This is alarming to other countries because they know that it may be targeted on them if they are perceived to be challenging the US vision of their region.
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We'll save you cash on submarines
North-West Evening Mail
17 April 2006
BARROW’S submarine designers have offered to build a cheaper alternative for the government’s Trident submarines — by using Astute class boats.
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Scottish Bishops issue statement on Trident
Edinburgh - 11 April 2006
Following the meeting last week of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, the following statement on the Trident Nuclear Weapons System was agreed by Scotland's eight Catholic Bishops and issued this morning.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/sctrid567.html
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Disarmament Diplomacy - Issue No. 82 Spring 2006
The Spring 2006 issue of Disarmament Diplomacy (DD 82) is now on the web at: http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd82/
It is a packed and thought-provoking issue, with news updates on Iran,
Chirac's speech setting out French nuclear policy, and the US-India
nuclear deal, as well as a Chinese perspective on North Korea and an
evaluation of the national reports on Resolution 1540, two years after
the resolution's adoption by the UN Security Council.
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Foreign Policy Centre report: The Future of Britain's WMD by Dan Plesch
This report discusses replacing Britain's Trident nuclear missile
system. It examines British dependence on the United States and
concludes that most of the discussion on the replacement is based on
the false premise that the UK has an independent nuclear weapon. To
support this conclusion the report reviews the history of Britain's
involvement with nuclear weapons from 1940 to the present day to show a
sixty-year-old pattern of British dependence on the US for WMD.
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Trident Briefing
A. R. Oppenheimer - January 18 2006
A decision on whether to replace Britain’s Trident submarine, missile
and warhead system is imminent. It will very likely be made during the
current Parliament. ... more |
Introduction
The Labour Government has indicated that a decision whether to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system is likely to be made in this Parliament (i.e. before the next General Election in May 2010 at the latest). ... more |
£100m laser project will mimic nuclear explosion
- Aldermaston plan seen as vital because of test ban
- Critics demand inquiry, fearing
new weapons
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Use of Trident 'would be illegal'
The use of a Trident nuclear missile, or its successor, would breach international law, the government is warned today. Even the threat to use nuclear weapons is unlawful, ministers are warned in a legal opinion by leading human rights lawyers. ... more |
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Why a debate on nuclear policy is vital
The Government has said that a decision on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system needs to be made in this Parliament. During a pre-election interview, Tony Blair said: “We've got to retain our nuclear deterrent. I believe that is the right thing for the country.” But is it? Are there considerations that Mr Blair is missing? ... more |
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Renewal of US-UK Nuclear Cooperation 'in Breach of NPT' say Eminent Lawyers
In an authoritative legal opinion released on July 26 2004, Rabinder Singh QC and Professor Christine Chinkin of Matrix Chambers concluded that "it is strongly arguable that the renewal of the Mutual Defence Agreement" - a special arrangement between the US and Britain for exchanging nuclear information, technology and material - "is in breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty". ... more |
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US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement
Introduction by Nicola Butler ... more |
Should the UK replace Trident? - Medact Briefing
The UK government has said that it is likely to decide whether or not to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system during this Parliamentary term.
This new Medact briefing gives the basic data on Trident, looks at the legal and political background to the decision, gives the pros and cons of replacement, and ends by urging the government 'to act with forethought and statesmanship and lead the world from the insanity of mutual threat towards a collective and verified trust'.
The Briefing is intended to be used as a lobbying tool for those writing to MPs and others who can influence the decision.
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