Challenging the return of US nukes to Britain [Briefing]

London CND Conference Briefing

Challenging the return of US nukes to Britain

RAF Lakenheath, located just 100 km from London, was home to 110 nuclear bombs until 2008 when they were removed due to popular protest. Now, we believe they’re back. These suspicions derive from when the US Department of Defence added the UK to a list of NATO nuclear weapons storage locations in Europe that are receiving upgrades through a multimillion-dollar infrastructure program. Notably, the UK was not part of a comparable list in the preceding year, indicating a recent decision.

Despite its RAF designation, Lakenheath is effectively managed by the USAF, housing their units and personnel. It hosts the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW) under the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA), overseeing F-15C/D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-35A Lightning II operations. With around 6,000 personnel, it's the largest deployment of USAF personnel in Britain and had hosted US nuclear weapons since 1954.

The US is the only country to locate its nuclear weapons outside its own borders and this substantial surge in NATO's ability to conduct nuclear warfare in Europe poses a significant risk of destabilisation. The reintroduction of these weapons will escalate global tensions and position Britain at the forefront in a potential NATO/Russia conflict.

CND’s Legal Challenge

CND is legally contesting development at RAF Lakenheath and calling for the Ministry of Defence to halt the works at the base until an environmental impact assessment has been conducted. CND believe, under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2017, that the project does not have permitted development rights. The development can proceed without an environmental assessment if executed on behalf of the Crown. However, CND argue this exception does not apply since the construction is conducted for the USAF.

CND emphasises that the developments at RAF Lakenheath— rapid airfield damage repair facilities (RADR), a child development centre, and a 144-bed dormitory—should have been treated as a unified project in the planning process. According to Planning Practice Guidance, “an application should not be considered in isolation if, in reality, it is an integral part of a more substantial development”. Moreover, the development’s impact should be viewed within the wider context, encompassing both construction and the consequences of hosting nuclear arms.

While environmental impact screenings were conducted separately for the child development centre and RADR, no assessment was undertaken for the 144-bed dormitory. While the MoD believes in its development rights, CND contends that West Suffolk Council's lack of screening disqualifies it from having these rights.

Our concern extends beyond environmental impacts to encompass risks like mishandling of weapons, security threats, and potential UK targeting if nuclear armament occurs. CND asserts that the ongoing construction ignores these risks. Our challenge aims for an inclusion of comprehensive evaluation of US nuclear armament implications, advocating for transparency and accountability in these developments.

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Learn more at the London CND Annual Conference “No Wars, No Nukes”, taking place on Sunday 14th January.

Artists Against the Bomb [Online Exhibition]

An exhibition of striking posters is now available online. It was put together by Estudio Pedro Reyes and ICAN to support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Have a look! You will probably recognise some artists such as Peter Kennard, and hopefully discover a lot of new ones.

All posters can be downloaded, printed and exhibited anywhere in the world.

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About Artists Against the Bomb

Artists Against the Bomb is a poster campaign calling for universal nuclear disarmament. This group of posters comprises historical and newly commissioned pieces that range across different fields: graphic arts, film, photography, sculpture, music, poetry and fiction, as well as agitprop and records of activism. Sometimes these categories blur together, but they always have one thing in common: a sense of urgency that we as a species cannot wait for solutions to come from those at the top and that only public outrage and the spirit of protest will generate the critical mass necessary to produce change.

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Bromley White Poppy Ceremony

On November 12th, Bromley CND met at the Bromley War Memorial for their annual white poppy ceremony.

““White poppies are worn every year by thousands of people across the UK and beyond. They were first produced in 1933 in the aftermath of the First World War, by members of the Co-operative Women’s Guild. Many of these women had lost family and friends in the First World War. They wanted to hold on to the key message of Remembrance Day, ‘never again’.
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— Peace Pledge Union

A beautiful circle of white poppies carried at CND’s protest at RAF Lakenheath in September 2022

White poppies stand for three things.

1. Remembrance of all victims of war, including both civilians and members of the armed forces. We remember people of all nationalities. We remember those killed in wars happening now, as well as in the past. We also remember those who are often excluded from the mainstream, such as refugees and victims of colonial conflicts.

2. Challenging war and militarism, as well as any attempt to glorify or celebrate war. White poppies encourage us to question the way war is normalised and justified. They remind us of the need to resist war and its causes today.

3. A commitment to peace and to seeking nonviolent solutions to conflict. By drawing attention to the devastating human cost of war, white poppies highlight the urgency of our ongoing struggle for peace.”
   

Bromley CND was joined by Yvonne Williams from Lewisham CND, members of the South East London Network for Peace, Justice and Solidarity and Bromley Humanists.

They took photographs on the seat dedicated to Paul Rainey  - geologist, environmentalist and Bromley Quaker peace campaigner.

There were statements, songs and poems.

Gaza: when midnight arrives

As global calls for a ceasefire mount, CND’s Chair, Tom Unterrainer, writes a blog on the CND website on the catastrophe in Gaza, and the risks presented by Israeli nuclear weapons.

“We moved to a new phase in the war … Tonight, the ground in Gaza shook.” With these words, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced an intensive escalation of the war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, on 28th October. This was a monstrous understatement. “Shook” hardly covers the murder, devastation and criminal disregard for humanity that is taking place in Palestine.

Midnight arrived for all-too-many in Gaza that evening and in the following days. Water, food and fuel supplies had already been cut. Hundreds of thousands had fled south. Others sought shelter wherever they could. Bombs were already falling. Then the lights went out: all telecommunications were severed; electricity cut. Then the bombings intensified. Hundreds more corpses – men, women, children, the frail, the elderly, those yet to be born, those in incubators, those trying to find clean water and food – joined those already slaughtered. Names were written on the bodies of some of the slaughtered, the children in particular. “The world should know about these children who were murdered by Israel because they are not numbers, but names, stories and dreams killed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza,” one parent told Al Jazeera.

At around this time, a second US aircraft carrier and strike group passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on their way to the Eastern Mediterranean. The UK has already deployed two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to the region to “bolster security”, according to the Prime Minister’s spokespeople. But in the name of what concept of “security” have US and UK ships, aircraft and military personnel been dispatched to the region? It’s not security for the people of Gaza, already subject to collective punishment and bombardment. If the people’s security was a priority for the US and UK governments, they would be backing a ceasefire, rather than preventing it, and ensuring justice and sovereignty for the Palestinian people. This is how they can ensure lasting peace and security in Palestine and Israel.

And let us not forget that Israel is the only nuclear-armed state in the region – a grave concern as the risk of wider conflict in the region escalates.  The US and UK claim that their own  possession of, threat to use, and development of new nuclear weapons are the ultimate guarantors of “security”. They will tell anyone daft enough to listen that maintaining the capability to unleash genocide is a reasonable and essential “security” measure. Nuclear-armed Israel no doubt feels the same way. It refuses to acknowledge its nuclear arsenal, stands outside any nuclear treaties, and is subject to no inspections or international monitoring; yet it faces no sanctions or condemnation from its allies. So much for the ‘rules based international order’ – this is sheer double standards.

Members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – who determine CND policy – met at our recent annual conference, and were clear on where we stand. We agreed an Emergency Resolution which notes that Israel’s “aggression increases the risk of war in which nuclear weapons may be used” and which calls on the “British government to press for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the siege of Gaza”.

We are also clear that our support for the mass national and local demonstrations coordinated with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War and others will continue. We will also work to support and engage with the growing number of trade unionists that oppose the production in Britain, of weapons for use on Palestine, and who – alongside other trade unionists internationally – are working to prevent their transportation to Israel. We will continue to work to remove all roadblocks to peace. We will continue to demand a ceasefire.

Sad death of Pat Arrowsmith

London CND is sad to learn that one of our longest and most active members, Pat Arrowsmith, has died peacefully at the age of 93. Pat was well known among Londoners and throughout Britain for her imaginative actions to highlight the cause of nuclear disarmament. She was anorganiser of the first Aldermaston march, together with Walter Wolfgang and others. She will bemissed by us all.

London members and group are invited to send photos and memories of Pat to info@londoncnd.org which will form part of a tribute page on the London CND website.

No US Nukes in Britain! Reports from the day of action in London

CND condemns the return of US nuclear weapons to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. US nuclear weapons make us all a target in any nuclear war. This is a national problem not a regional one.

All supporters were therefore encouraged to join a day of action against this extremely dangerous and destabilising development on Saturday 23rd September.

London would be particularly impacted by nuclear activity at RAF Lakenheath, as the airbase is located only 100km away. At least two major incidents involving nuclear weapons have occurred at RAF Lakenheath and official US documents declared it was a ‘miracle’ that none of the bombs detonated, and that ‘it is possible that a part of Eastern England would have become a desert’.

We stood up to say: NO US NUKES IN BRITAIN!

London CND: protest and video at the US Embassy

A few days before the day of action, the CND General Secretary Kate Hudson, London CND vice-president Emma Dent Coad, trade union and climate activist Samantha Mason, Alison Williams from Wimbledon CND, Rosemary Addington from Kingston CND as well as London CND co-chairs Carol Turner and Hannah Kemp-Welch met at the US embassy in Vauxhall.

We brought placards and recorded a video which was shared on the day of action. It did well, with a total of 3000 views across our social media platforms. Click on the video above to watch it!

Bromley Borough CND: Leafleting

This issue concerns everyone, and it is also important to speak to people directly on a local level. A group of Bromley Borough CND activists did just that by giving out Wages Not Weapons leaflets in Bromley Market Square.

Lewisham and Greenwich CND: Protest

Lewisham and Greenwich CND met at the General Wolfe statue in Greenwich Park near the Prime Meridian at midday. Protestors brought banners and signs and marched to the sound of drummers through the park, handing out leaflets after some speeches about “the West” right on the physical east/west divide.

If you’re interested in this issue, we really advise reading CND’s excellent briefing document here:

UN Peace Day in Bromley

Each year the International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on the 21st of September. The day was first established in 1981 and is devoted to strengthening the idea of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Never has our world needed peace more.

This year, the SE London Network for Peace, Justice and Solidarity organised an event at Bromley Friends Meeting House. On the programme: music, poetry, films, speakers and stalls.

A great effort by all to create more awareness about working for peace!

This year at Tavistock Square

A warm summer day and the presence of friends such as Jeremy Corbyn, Emma Dent-Coad, and Roger McKenzie attracted a good attendance at London CND’s Hiroshima Commemoration in Tavistock Square this year, which included a performance by Michael Mears & Riko Nakazono of an extract from Michael’s play The Mistake, on tour across England and Wales during September & October.

As always the Mayor of Camden, Cllr Nazma Rahman, launched the 2023 commemoration on Sunday 6 August, and laid a wreath at the Hiroshima Cherry Tree in memory of all those who died as a result of the United States bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She was followed by traditional chanting from Reverend Nagase from the London Peace Pagoda, which celebrated its 38th anniversary in Battersea Park this year.

London Co-Chair Hannah Kemp-Welch compered the event and spoke on behalf of London CND at the Nagasaki Commemoration a few days later. Other contributors to this year’s event included Shigeo Kobayashi representing Japanese Against Nuclear and London CND’s other Co-Chair, Carol Turner.

Hugh Goodacre contributed some of the peace movement’s favourites songs accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, and Raised Voices choir gave a rousing rendition of H-Bombs Thunder to close the proceedings.

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Carol Turner is co-chair of London Region CND. She is a directly elected member of CND’s National Council and part of the International Advisory Group.

Carol is a long-time peace campaigner, a member of Stop the War Coalition’s National Officer Group, and author of Corbyn and Trident: Labour’s Continuing Controversy.

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Justice for Yurii Sheliazhenko

Since the beginning of the war on Ukraine, CND has stood in opposition to the invasion, and called for negotiations to end the war with all possible speed. We have also reached out to those opposing the war in Russia and Ukraine, offering our solidarity and helping to make their voices heard. One of our regular contacts has been Yurii Sheliazhenko, from the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, a  Council Member of the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and a recipient of the prestigious Seán MacBride Prize.

Yurii lives in Kyiv and has been joining our webinars from his home there since the invasion began. We are distressed to hear that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has now taken action against Yurii. He has been charged with the offence of “justification of Russian aggression” and his apartment was searched based on his document titled Peace Agenda for Ukraine and the World.

The IPB is asking for our support in spreading awareness about this alarming situation, and asking that we join them in urging the Ukrainian authorities to reconsider their actions and ensure that Yurii’s rights are fully respected.

Here are some useful resources:
1. Yurii’s responses to the charges and search can be found here.
2. A petition for the Ukrainian government to drop the prosecution of Yurii can be found here.
3. Please read and share the IPB Press Release.

Thank you for anything you can do to support Yurii. As we face increasing attacks on our rights and freedoms here in Britain, let’s work together to safeguard the principles of peace and human rights for Yurii and all those opposing war.

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Dr Kate Hudson

CND General Secretary

[MAP] Hiroshima & Nagasaki events in London each day

There are lots of events planned in London to remember the atrocious bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To make it a bit easier, we’ve put together this video mapping them!